Ever since the Avalanche returned to the ice last week, we’ve talked about the need for intensity to ramp up and reach a level fit for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Apparently Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar agreed.

Just before beginning a structured five-on-five drill, Bednar stopped the practice the unleash a verbal tirade directed at his team.

He loved the competitiveness his players were showing, he shouted at nobody in particular, but he needed to see more purpose. Less whining to each other and a more focused attitude is what he was after just moments after two of his players had come together, leaving one slamming his stick against the bench in obvious frustration.

Competing hard is one thing, but playing with attitude and checking hard with a purpose was going to be necessary for them to achieve their goals. Bednar stressed this wasn’t a camp in preparation for an 82-game season, but rather a sprint to the Stanley Cup. He promised his team if they don’t come with both barrels, they’ll be back on the golf course in no time.

His players responded.

“I think our whole team is about intensity and competitiveness and that starts with the players, also the coaches,” J.T. Compher said. “Definitely helped get us going a little more today, we weren’t as sharp at the beginning of practice today. Definitely cranked up the intensity as it went on today.”

That intensity was something the players have been looking for from themselves, too, as this camp as gone on.

“It was great,” Matt Calvert said. “It’s something as players we’ve been pushing for, it’s something from when I came into summer skates, obviously there were a few guys here before me. I was skating with Nate and Landy and those guys, we’ve been pushing to be at that level even before training camp started. To hear that reiterated from the coach, it’s true, you gotta hit the ground running in a situation like this and we’re gonna keep getting better every day.”

The team’s leadership group echoed the message being sent by Bednar.

“Similar to what coach’s message was today, it’s to be ready, be sharp, we’re not easing it into things, we don’t have a month of training camp, six exhibition games,” Calvert said. “I don’t think we want to go too hard too early and I think they’ve done a great job with that, you want to ease yourself back into it just so guys aren’t getting small little injuries. As for telling the young guys, I think you lead by example, you work as hard as you can out there, you really try to be game-like and that’s something we’ve pushed for in all our practices.”

The high-volume conversation in the eyes of the man himself?

“As far as addressing our group today I wanted to make sure that our team was getting out of the practice what our goal was going into it,” Bednar said. “We were a couple drills in and we were getting ready to do the five on five drill that we had set up and I wanted us to make sure we were doing that drill with the right amount of intensity and physicality and putting a big enough importance on that drill from the defensive side of things. Not that I didn’t like the first part of the practice, as I was going through it I wanted to make sure we were going to get the desired result from that drill. You only have so many days of practice to accomplish the things you want to accomplish so that was my message and they took it well. I really liked our practice in the five on five portion of it and I felt that carried over to the special teams after as well.”

News and Notes

• About that injury. Cale Makar participated in the five on five session to open practice but after a quick resurfacing of the ice, did not join the team for its special team’s practice. As required by the league, Bednar only stated Makar was “unfit for practice” and his status moving forward is still to be determined.
• Shane Bowers, who was hit with a high stick on Thursday during the team’s first scrimmage, did not participate today.
• The only changes in the lines today was the fifth line of Kamenev-Jost-O’Connor. O’Connor’s spot had been previously occupied by T.J. Tynan.
• Ryan Graves raves about his team’s depth following practice, saying, “Up and down I think we probably have the best fourth line in hockey right now with Belly, Calvy and Nieto so honestly up and down I think our lineup’s deep.”
• Without Makar, Sam Girard was the lone D on the top PP unit while Erik Johnson took that job on PP2.
• The special teams work was strong as the top unit worked the puck down low more than they did during the regular season and focused on using a man behind the net more as a key part of the puck movement. That deviated from the team’s regular strategy of playing through the defenseman at the point and trying to create scoring chances with two Avs in front of the goaltender. This was more about spacing and creating cross-ice passing lanes, which the top unit exploited several times.
• Just one man’s opinion here but I thought Ryan Graves and Ian Cole looked very stout on the PK. Both players were making great reads and attacking pucks when they had the chance. Just me appreciating two guys doing the dirty work.
• There have been some roller coaster moments from the fourth D pairing but I really liked Mark Barberio’s day. One of those days that remind you of how solid he is on his good days.
• I don’t want to continue to harp on it but Michael Hutchinson still looks to me like he’s badly struggling. I have felt Adam Werner has significantly outplayed him so far.