Tyler Arnason News

The New York Rangers inked forward Tyler Arnason to a two-way contract on Friday.

The Avalanche is a team in need of a lot of help, and a lot of very good players who could provide some will be available starting today on the free-agent market.

Peter Budaj, 26, has a deal worth $1.25 million after making $800,000 last season with an Avalanche team that finished last in the Western Conference.

After three straight 95 point seasons, the Avalanche put up a point total last year that could only make a high school teenager smile.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: A tie between right wing Milan Hejduk and left wing Ryan Smyth, frequently linemates and easily the Avalanche's two best players this season.

In Colorado these days it's as if the Avs decision makers have just eaten a classy dinner at a very expensive restaurant and the waiter has just put the bill on the table.

Having halted their longest losing streak of the season, the Colorado Avalanche will try to string together back-to-back victories tonight in a home clash with the Atlanta Thrashers at the Pepsi Center.

The Colorado Avalanche's Ruslan Salei controls the puck past the Blackhawks' Ben Eager during the third period Sunday in Chicago.

The Avalanche had expected defenseman John-Michael Liles to be back in the lineup against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night after he missed the previous four games with an injured wrist.

OUTSIDE INFLUENCE Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson didn't think his team accomplished much this week while practicing on an outdoor rink in front of a large crowd of enthusiastic school children.

Paul Stastny did not score a goal, and the Avalanche did not win, in his first game since Dec.

There is an outside chance Paul Stastny will make his return to the Avalanche lineup today against the Carolina Hurricanes.

If you talk the talk . . . Jose Theodore did some talking before playing his first game against the Avalanche since leaving in a difference of opinion with management over his worth.

Ryan Smyth had a goal and two assists, and Andrew Raycroft made 28 saves in the Colorado Avalanche's 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Friday night.

As the countdown to the March 4 trading deadline continues, pro scouts from six other teams attended the Avalanche's 6-5 shootout victory over Detroit on Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.

The Detroit Red Wings may have a chance to move into a tie atop the Western Conference standings if they can beat the team at the bottom.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored the tiebreaking goal with 2:16 remaining, helping the Montreal Canadiens snap a seven-game road losing skid with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

Fredrik Modin scores against Avalanche goalie Peter Budaj to give the Blue Jackets a 3-0 lead in the third period.

I'm getting a torrent of comments coming into the blog headquarters tonight, to the point where I'm having trouble keeping up approving them in timely fashion.

Avalanche report: Road test approaches The Avalanche suddenly has turned into the NHL's version of The Cooler, knocking off two of the league's hottest teams in consecutive games.