The Avalanche reassigned Jacob MacDonald to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on Friday in a move that suggests it will have forwards Mikko Rantanen and Andre Burakovsky back in the lineup on Saturday at Columbus.
Rantanen has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury and Burakovsky, also with a lower-body ailment, didn’t play in Wednesday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets at Ball Arena. Based on Thursday’s practice, Rantanen will rejoin the top line with center Nathan MacKinnon and Gabe Landeskog and Burakovsky will again play with center Nazem Kadri and Logan O’Connor.
MacDonald, a natural defenseman, served as a fourth-line forward in Rantanen’s absence.