LOS ANGELES — Transitions can be tough around the trade deadline, but it was a particularly tricky one for Nick Blankenburg.
The first big test of how it’s worked for him is likely coming Sunday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Josh Manson missed the Colorado Avalanche’s practice Saturday, and coach Jared Bednar said he’s unlikely to play in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Avs lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and will attempt to sweep the Kings and advance to the second round.
“(Manson) is sore. So, I’d say he’s unlikely for tomorrow,” Bednar said. “Then we’ll just keep evaluating him every day after that.
“Putting a timeline on players this time of year is kind of guesswork. They’re willing to play through a lot and they’ve worked so hard through the offseason, regular season to get to this point, nobody wants to miss time.”
That would mean a playoff debut for Blankenburg, a 27-year-old defenseman who joined the club on March 4 from the Nashville Predators. An undrafted free agent after a four-year career at Michigan, Blankenburg was in the midst of his best NHL season before the trade.
When the Avs added Blankenburg, he was understandably excited to join a Stanley Cup contender. But it also meant a change in roles. He had 21 points in 49 games for the Predators, but would be No. 7 on the Avs’ depth chart when everyone was healthy.
His first chances to play with the Avs also came during a rare stretch when Bednar decided to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. It was, in part, to get Blankenburg some game action. But it’s not easy for a defenseman to just get a handful of shifts in any game, let alone for a new team.
“I think there was a little bit of struggle in the beginning, just trying to learn the systems,” Blankenburg said. “The last little bit was just kind of me feeling more confident in the system and my own abilities, and just trying not to think too much. Anytime you get a chance to play in with a new group, the more you do it, the more comfortable you get.”
Blankenburg averaged a little more than nine minutes per game in his first contests with the Avs. Then he went back to being a healthy scratch for two weeks.
Injuries and rest gave Blankenburg a chance to play the last nine games of the regular season. He averaged 13 minutes per night. By the last few games, he looked much more like the guy who was a sneaky underrated player in Nashville.
“We need him to be solid defensively,” Bednar said. “He’s perfectly capable of coming into our system and being a responsible defensive player and helping us move the puck out of the (defensive) zone and into the offensive zone. That’s what we expect from all of our D. Anything he can add beyond that is a bonus.
“What we’ll miss with (Manson) is that big, shut-down (guy), being able to close plays out quickly with the size and physicality, being hard at the net-front — all the things he brings. It’s a loss, for sure, but I feel good about the option we have in coming into the lineup and being able to help us.”
Manson has been a physical defensive stalwart for the Avs this season. The 79 games he played in the regular season were his most since 2017-18. He’s delivered a few of the biggest hits in this series against the Kings.
Blankenburg is a very different type of player. The expectations will be different, but his play in the last games of the regular season were a cause for optimism.
“There’s excitement, obviously. A little bit of nerves,” Blankenburg said. “It’s a great opportunity. Just stick to my game and who I am as a person and as a player, and kind of let the rest take care of itself. Just not putting too much pressure on yourself, try to enjoy the moment and not take anything for granted and just have fun.”
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