Preseason Lineups: Avalanche vs. Stars

The Colorado Avalanche will use a more veteran-laden lineup in its second preseason game of 2019-20 tonight against the Dallas Stars at Pepsi Center.
Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Philipp Grubauer, Matt Calvert, J.T. Compher, Matt Nieto and Samuel Girard are all expected to make their preseason debuts for the Avs after not dressing in the preseason opener on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. In addition to the veterans in the lineup, rookies Bowen Byram, Martin Kaut and Cale Makar will also play.

Grubauer was the first goaltender off the ice at today's morning skate and is expected to get the start. Pavel Francouz, who re-signed with the Avalanche in the offseason after a strong campaign with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League last year, will be the backup keeper.
Six players will make their debuts in burgundy and blue tonight after being signed or acquired by Colorado in the offseason. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Andre Burakovsky, Joonas Donskoi, Nazem Kadri, Valeri Nichushkin and Calle Rosen are all expected to play their first games--albeit in the preseason--with the Avalanche.
"It's going to be great," Burakovsky said. "I have been wearing a Caps jersey for five years, so it is going to be a lot of fun to put a new jersey on and represent a new team and do whatever it takes to win for that team. I am really excited to be here and it is going to be a fun night."
For Nichushkin, it will be his first contest against the team that selected him 10th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. The left wing played four NHL seasons with the Stars before signing a one-year contract with Colorado as a free agent on Aug. 19.
Below are tonight's preseason game rosters for the Avalanche and Stars. They are subject to change.

Colorado Avalanche Roster

Preseason (Sept. 19, 2019)
| 31 | Philipp Grubauer | G | | 39 | Pavel Francouz | G | | 8 | Cale Makar | D | | 10 | Mark Alt | D | | 11 | Matt Calvert | LW | | 13 | Valeri Nichushkin | RW | | 25 | Logan O'Connor | RW | | 29 | Nathan MacKinnon | C | | 37 | J.T. Compher | LW | | 41 | Pierre-Edouard Bellemare | C | | 44 | Mark Barberio | D | | 45 | Bowen Byram | D | | 48 | Calle Rosen | D | | 49 | Samuel Girard | D | | 61 | Martin Kaut | RW | | 72 | Joonas Donskoi | RW | | 83 | Matt Nieto | LW | | 91 | Nazem Kadri | C | | 92 | Gabriel Landeskog | LW | | 95 | Andre Burakovsky | LW | | No. | Name | Pos. | | --- | --- | --- |

Dallas Stars Roster

Preseason (Sept. 19, 2019)
| 29 | Jake Oettinger | G | | 41 | Landon Bow | G | | 2 | Jamie Oleksiak | D | | 12 | Radek Faksa | C | | 13 | Mattias Janmark | C | | 18 | Jason Dickinson | C | | 20 | Scottie Upshall | LW | | 21 | Jason Robertson | LW | | 25 | Joel Kiviranta | LW | | 27 | Riley Tufte | LW | | 33 | Emil Djuse | D | | 37 | Justin Dowling | C | | 38 | Joel L'Esperance | RW | | 39 | Joel Hanley | D | | 42 | Taylor Fedun | D | | 43 | Tye Felhaber | LW | | 44 | Gavin Bayreuther | D | | 49 | Rhett Gardner | C | | 50 | Reece Scarlett | D | | 52 | Michael Mersch | LW | | 55 | Thomas Harley | D | | 81 | Stefan Nosen | RW | | No. | Name | Pos. | | --- | --- | --- |