Avalanche's Jean-Luc Foudy earns top-line minutes amid injury wave: 'Just giving him an opportunity'
Dec. 4—BOSTON — Need a silver lining amid the recent wave of Avalanche injuries?
Here's one: Top-line minutes for rookie forward Jean-Luc Foudy.
The 20-year-old Canada (Ontario) native logged three shots and one block over 12:02 of ice time in Saturday night's loss in Boston. Much of it alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen following Artturi Lehkonen's departure with an upper-body injury. A big assignment.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar explained that a lack of centerman depth led him to keep Alex Newhook and J.T. Compher with their respective lines. Foudy also earned the opportunity to move up.
"He's been skating pretty well. He's a skilled player in the American League," Bednar said. "Just giving him an opportunity."
Foudy will play his fourth career NHL game Monday night in Philadelphia. His Avs debut, so far, is a mixed bag.
The positives: Foudy is unafraid of the big moment and with a physical style beyond his size (5-11, 168). His natural skating ability, elite vision and offensive playmaking are why the Avs picked him No. 75 overall (third round) of the 2020 NHL draft. Foudy has returned checks, hard, several times during his early Avalanche tenure. He's executed multiple transition passes to create quality scoring chances, with none cashed in yet.
The work is showing. He's still waiting for his first NHL point.
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But Foudy also committed three penalties (tripping, hooking and slashing) over the past three games. With still raw talent, he's prone to mistakes that match a rookie learning curve. That's normal.
Foudy is notoriously shy in media settings with quick exits from the dressing room during reporter access. On Tuesday, ahead of his NHL debut in Winnipeg, Foudy told Altitude TV pregame: "It's been going pretty fast. But I'm enjoying it."
The Avs are hopeful Foudy can replicate his career AHL success — 54 points (17) goals with the Colorado Eagles — with a potentially featured role over the next several weeks. The team has not provided an updated timeline beyond "week-to-week" for Lehkonen's comeback. The returns of Darren Helm, Gabe Landeskog, Val Nichushkin and Even Rodrigues are not imminent.
Evoca TV, which allows fans to watch local Avalanche, Nuggets games may cease operation
Don't be surprised if Foudy is on Colorado's top line Monday night against the Flyers. He's got the athletic genetics for success. His father, Sean, played defensive in the Canadian Football League. His mother, France Gareau, won a sprint relay Olympic Silver medal for Canada. His brother, Liam, is a center for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It's now Jean-Luc's turn to make the family name proud.
"He works hard. He has a pretty good understanding of the game. He can make some plays," Rantanen said following Saturday night's loss in Boston. "It was a good opportunity for him."
