Avalanche Notebook: Avs to open 2017-18 season at Madison Square Garden against Rangers

The Colorado Avalanche will see a lot of the Eastern Conference in the first week of the 2017-18 season. How much so will be further determined when the NHL releases its full schedule on Thursday. On Wednesday, however, the league announced the home openers for all 31 teams, and the Avs were mentioned three times.

The Avs will serve as the opponent to the New York Rangers in their home opener at Madison Square Garden on Thurs., Oct. 5. The Avs will also serve as the opponent to the New Jersey Devils in their home opener at the Prudential Center on Oct. 7. The Devils, who own the first pick in Friday’s NHL draft, could showcase that player against the Avs in his first NHL game.

The Avalanche’s own home opener? That will happen Oct. 11, against the Boston Bruins at the Pepsi Center.

The NHL expansion draft will happen tonight at 6 p.m. MDT. Tune in to watch it on NBCSN. The draft has actually already happened. The roster will be revealed at 6. There have been no leaks so far as to whom the Avs lost off their roster.

NHL draft guru Bob McKenzie said on Vancouver radio today that he’s heard the Avs are leaning toward drafting defenseman Cale Makar with the fourth pick in Friday’s first round.

That is in line with what BSNDenver reported Monday.