Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov, pulled for the second time in five games Tuesday at Minnesota, worked up a good sweat Wednesday at team headquarters. He took shots from the three Avs who didn't play in the troubling 6-3 loss against the Wild.
The remaining 19 players — including the new No. 1 goalie — didn't skate.
Upstairs at coach Patrick Roy's news conference, Varlamov's demotion was framed as indefinite. The Colorado nets belong to Calvin Pickard, and only he will determine how long that lasts during the final 17 regular-season games.
Pickard, 23, has pushed aside Varlamov and his regular backup, Reto Berra, to earn the right to get the Avs back into the playoff picture.