Avs Quotes: July 14, 2020

The Colorado Avalanche returned to Pepsi Center on Tuesday for the second day of training camp in Phase 3 of the NHL's Return to Play Plan. The Avs are preparing for their first Stanley Cup qualifier matchup on Aug. 2 against the St. Louis Blues in Edmonton, Alberta, before also playing the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights in the round robin.

Head coach Jared Bednar and a few Avs players spoke to media following practice.

Colorado Head Coach Jared Bednar

On Nathan MacKinnon's Ted Lindsay Award Nomination: "I think it's well deserved. I think that's the player-voted MVP and then there's the writer-voted MVP, which is the Hart. We're spoiled, we see him every day, but obviously the impact that he has for our team, we consider him an MVP candidate and the lots around the league are taking notice of that. I think, especially if you look at this year and what he did with our team to try and keep us in the mix for first in the West, I think he has 43 more points, I think, than anyone else on our team. When you look at some of the injuries that we had throughout the course of the season, and we didn't miss a beat and that was because of players like MacK leading the charge and elevating their game when we needed them most, and that's what an MVP does. So I think it's very well deserved. Hopefully he wins them both."

On Making A Goaltender Decision:"I think it's a good spot to be in for our club, you know. We've got two guys that we're confident in as a coaching staff and that our team is confident in playing in front of, and both of them have done excellent jobs during the course of this season to merit a chance to start in the playoffs. We'll have to pick someone, we'll use all of our time available to us and all of the games that we get to see, scrimmages through camp, exhibition game, the three round-robin games and then we'll name a starter, but when it's all said and done we may need both of those guys. And again, we're confident in both of those guys so we'll make a decision at some point, but it's a good problem to have when you're confident in both guys instead of being unsure."

Colorado Goaltender Pavel Francouz

On The Goaltending Battle: "I mean, we're just a team heading to the playoffs so I think we're going to need both goalies to be ready and in good feeling. I don't see any big competition here, like there is just competition between the Colorado Avalanche and the other teams."

On Playoff Goaltending:"It's the same every year, every playoffs. We know that the goalie can be a key to success so it's no different this year. We kind of know about it and we deal with it, so I think we're getting ready as best as we can at this moment."

Colorado Goaltender Philipp Grubauer

On Having A Longer Break Due To Injury: "I actually was really close to coming back. So, I think we would have played the next game anyways before we shut down. We skated before that, obviously. You miss a couple more games than all of the other guys, but it doesn't really make a difference if you stop playing in February or like two or three weeks later. I don't think it's a huge difference, like the cards get mixed newly here for everyone and it gives us enough time to get ready (for the playoffs). I don't think there's anything extra, other than goalie ice and watching some videos."

On Benefits Of Time Off:"I think because we had so many injured guys too, I think it came at the right time, so you're not limping into the playoffs with a bunch of injuries. I think it's going to be really exciting starting the new playoffs."

Colorado Defenseman Samuel Girard

On Nathan MacKinnon Being Named a Ted Lindsay Award Finalist: "I mean there's no doubt there. Nate (MacKinnon) is like, if he's not the best player, he's not that far, you know he's so good on the ice. He's such a nice guy too off ice. Even during practice he's a leader and you want to follow him. He's always at least 100 percent on the ice. You want to be better game after game, practice after practice, so he's a good example on the ice and off ice. There's no doubt that he deserves it. Like I said, he's so good on the ice and you know like his hands, the way he skates, he deserves it, to have this honor."

On The Future Of The Avs' Blueline With Conor Timmins And Bowen Byram At Camp: "I think that's great for the Avs to have a good prospect like that coming up so that's going to be good for us. They are young, I mean they're probably my age, but they still are good players. They're going to be up soon so it's good for us just to have a great future."

Quotes transcribed by Colorado Avalanche's Kate Reed