Colorado Avalanche claim Wagner; put Varlamov on IR

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that the organization has claimed forward Chris Wagner on waivers from the Anaheim Ducks. Wagner was drafted by Anaheim in the fifth round (122nd overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He has played in 20 NHL games (0 points). The bulk of his professional hockey career has been spent with the Ducks’s AHL affiliate, formerly the Norfolk Admirals (2012-15) and currently San Diego Gulls. There he has recorded 38 goals and 79 points in 170 games. According to Anaheim Calling’s season 2014-15 season review,

It says something that of the other Ducks to make their debut this season that Wagner saw so many games, partly due to circumstance but also thanks to the energetic game he plays. For the year he saw 1.3% more of his shifts begin in the defensive zone relative to team average and Anaheim took 48.4% of the shot attempts with him on ice. In a vacuum these numbers aren’t great, but if one wants to look at most ambitious potential a glance at the second LA game where 51.5% of his relative zone starts were defensive yet the Ducks turned play controlling 55.6% of the shot attempts and his start against the Bruins where 6.2% relative defensive zone starts lead to 66.7% Ducks shot attempts are good games to look at. Wagner will be looked at to provide those kinds of performances this season on his call ups, while keeping at a similar scoring pace with the Gulls that he demonstrated last season in Norfolk.

To make room for Wagner, the Avalanche have put goaltender Semyon Varlamov on Injured Reserve, retroactive to November 10, 2015.