Alex Galchenyuk signs one-year deal with Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche signed former No. 3 overall draft pick Alex Galchenyuk to a one-year deal through the remainder of the 2022-23 season Monday.

After receiving a professional tryout from Colorado, Galchenyuk suffered a knee injury during training camp and returned to his home in Arizona to recover for several weeks. The center rejoined the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate in early November and immediately made an impact, compiling seven points in seven games. His three goals for the Colorado Eagles included an overtime winner.

Galchenyuk spent the first six years of his career with the Montreal Canadiens, including a 30-goal season in 2015-16. In the last four years, he has passed through Arizona, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Ottawa, Carolina (never appearing in an NHL game), Toronto and Arizona again. Prior to his arrival in Colorado’s organization, he had only played six AHL games in his career.

Galchenyuk said he got the call Sunday night and drove from Loveland to Denver on Monday morning. He participated in the Avalanche’s full-team practice.

Avalanche injury report ahead of week of travel

The banged-up Avs are inching closer to full strength. Defenseman Bowen Byram and forward Darren Helm skated individually last week, and coach Jared Bednar hopes Valeri Nichushkin will skate on his own this week. None of the three will travel for the upcoming four-game road trip; the team flies to Winnipeg after Monday’s practice.

Nichushkin is approaching the endpoint of the “approximately one month” timeline that Bednar estimated at the outset. Before undergoing ankle surgery, Nichushkin scored a team-leading seven goals in the Avalanche’s first seven games.

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