Projected Lineup: Avalanche vs. Canucks

The Colorado Avalanche returns from its nine-day break tonight as the club hosts the Vancouver Canucks at Pepsi Center.
It is the Avs' first game since Jan. 23 versus the Minnesota Wild and the fourth of a season-long, five-game homestand.

Semyon Varlamov was the first goaltender off the ice for the Avalanche at today's morning skate, and head coach Jared Bednar confirmed the netminder will get the start this evening.
Bednar said the rest of his lineup will be comprised of the forward combinations and defensive pairings that were used at Friday's practice.
There will be a bit of a change among Colorado's top-six forwards as Nathan MacKinnon will play alongside Colin Wilson and Alexander Kerfoot, while Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen will skate on a line with Carl Soderberg at center.
Below is the Avalanche's projected lineup based on Friday's practice. The forward combinations and defensive pairings are subject to change.

Forwards

22 Colin Wilson - 29 Nathan MacKinnon - 13 Alexander Kerfoot
92 Gabriel Landeskog - 34 Carl Soderberg - 96 Mikko Rantanen
11 Matt Calvert - 37 J.T. Compher - 83 Matt Nieto
10 Sven Andrighetto - 15 Sheldon Dries - 57 Gabriel Bourque

Defensemen

49 Samuel Girard - 6 Erik Johnson
28 Ian Cole - 4 Tyson Barrie
16 Nikita Zadorov - 12 Patrik Nemeth

Goaltenders

1 Semyon Varlamov (starter)
31 Philipp Grubauer (backup)
Healthy Scratches: none
Injury Report: 44 Mark Barberio (concussion), 91 Vladislav Kamenev (shoulder)