Avalanche player (p)review: Vladislav Kamenev

This season

Call it back luck, call him injury prone. In the last two seasons Vladislav Kamenev has played 26 games with the Colorado Avalanche before suffering season-ending injuries. Kamenev played in just three games in his first season with the Avalanche after breaking his arm in his first game and briefly returning to health near the end of the season for two more appearances. This last season Kamenev saw 23 games before injuring his shoulder.

In both cases, Kamenev was healthy to return at the end of the year but Colorado’s playoff runs prevented him from getting back in the lineup as the coaching staff preferred more known quantities in the higher profile games.

In those 23 games Kamenev found himself on the fourth line and often as the fourth line center. In his 23 games of the season he had five points (2g, 3a). He scored his first NHL goal this season against Calgary on November 1st. His first NHL point was the game before against the Minnesota Wild on October 27th.

Kamenev saw his faceoff percentage improve from the season before at 38.89% to 50% this season. His two goals on the season came on special teams as he scored both a power play goal and shorthanded goal.

Next season

Next season will be an interesting situation for Kamenev. He will have to battle for a position on this team, or be a scratch for most games. He will need to find a way to stay healthy this season as well. He did get signed to a one-year contract extension this summer so he has one season to prove his worth.

The addition of Valeri Nichushkin makes it more of an uphill battle than it previously was but Kamenev should still have the inside track.

If Kamenev cracks the lineup look for him to be a fourth liner.

Fun Kamenev Highlights

Highlights include a touch of the Colorado Eagles.