Jonathan Drouin Out For First Round, But Here's Why I Like The Avs To Still Beat Winnipeg Anyway

They'll flip the switch

Jonathan Drouin, out for the entire first round. That was the somber news out of Avs headquarters today, on the day before they open a best-of-seven first-round series with the Winnipeg Jets.

Drouin played in 79 regular-season games for the Avs, posting 56 points. But he suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday’s meaningless season finale against the Oilers. Now the Avs have to play around with their top two lines, with Drouin no longer on the top line.

I have a hunch it’ll be Lehkonen-MacKinnon-Rantanen on the top line tomorrow, but I’m often wrong on my line combination predictions, so go the opposite way. Maybe it’s Nichushkin on the top spot and Lehky on second line. Or, heck, maybe it’s Zach Parise on the top line for at least one game? We’ll see.

We will also see who starts in goal for the Avs tomorrow. I think it will be Georgie, but Jared Bednar isn’t tipping his hand on who will be in net (he’s always done that in the playoffs though).

Here’s my prediction for this series, even after the Drouin injury: I like the Avs, and here’s why: