The Avalanche announced that forwards Chris Wagner and Ivan Ivan have been assigned to AHL Colorado. Freeing up their combined $1.62M cap hit isn’t enough to get them out of LTIR and have them accumulate cap space for now, so it’s a bit of an odd move. Regardless, expect both to be re-added to the roster before Wednesday’s game against the Bruins to give the Avs 12 healthy forwards.
It’s a quick turnaround for Wagner, 33, who played in the Avalanche's last two games after being recalled Saturday. The veteran can return to the Eagles without clearing waivers after doing so during the end of preseason, but he’s now used up two of his 10 games or six of his 30 days on the active roster before he needs them again for an AHL assignment.
Wagner averaged just 6:36 through Colorado’s two losses against the Blue Jackets and Islanders, which currently stands at a career low. The versatile depth forward went 3-for-6 in the faceoff dot and posted a -1 rating along with three shots on goal and three hits, but failed to get on the box score aside from a minor penalty. He has a goal and an assist in 15 combined contests since landing with the Avs organization as a free agent in 2023.
Ivan, at 22 years old, is significantly Wagner’s junior. He has been demoted for a third time since cracking Colorado’s NHL opening-night roster. They’ve all been paper transactions, though, and he’s appeared in all three of the Avs’ losses to start the regular season. The undrafted free agent signing out of QMJHL Cape Breton has an assist and a -1 rating to kick off his NHL career, averaging 9:22 per game.
