Avalanche place Landeskog on IR, recall two players

The Colorado Avalanche have made a handful of roster moves today, most notably placing forward Gabriel Landeskog on Injured Reserve. The team placed him on IR retroactive to the date of the original injury, which it is believed to have happened against the Los Angeles Kings on November 15, allowing him to be activated at any time as he has already fulfilled the seven-day minimum.

With the team down to 21 players and looking for reinforcements up front, the Avalanche recalled forwards Gabriel Bourque and Samuel Henley from San Antonio of the AHL. It is Bourque’s second stint with the Avalanche, having appeared in five games for the club earlier this season before being sent down to gain additional playing time with the Rampage. The 26-year old Bourque registered five points (2 g, 3 a) in 11 games with San Antonio.

As for 23-year old Henley, this will be his first NHL experience in his career. He was signed as an undrafted free agent upon the completion of his junior career at Val-d’Or of the QMJHL in the spring of 2014. He has accumulated 15 goals and 14 assists, totaling 29 points, in 149 AHL games. At 6’4″, 210 pounds, Henley is a freight train who embraces his size and the physicality of the game while focusing on being a defensively responsible forward.

It is not yet known whether either or potentially both will make it into the lineup as Landeskog is not expected to be out much longer. Given head coach Jared Bednar’s visible frustration the last couple of days, it would not be a surprise to see either player get a look as Bednar continues to tweak the forward corps to get the most out of them.