11/13 Preview: Kuemper in, Lines Adjusted + Starting On Time, Thomas' Versatility, Homecomings

Kuemper In, Lines Adjusted

Darcy Kuemper will start on Monday against the St. Louis Blues, Jared Bednar confirmed to media on Sunday. The starting time has been moved up to 6 p.m., the standard altitude adjustment that was implemented for the first three games of this five-game road trip. Valeri Nichushkin and Martin Kaut will both sit against the Blues, with Alex Newhook and Ben Meyers drawing into the lineup. Evan Rodrigues will replace Logan O'Connor on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. The rest of the lines, and the defense pairs, will remain the same. Kuemper's return to the lineup will bring some stability to Colorado's crease after Alexandar Georgiev struggled in his last two starts.

Thomas' Versatility

J.T. Compher was initially ruled out for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury back in early October, but his ability to play both center and wing has allowed him to return to the lineup sooner. "That's a big piece for us, especially with Bo [Byram] and [Gabriel] Landeskog still out," Bednar said of Compher's versatility. "He's one of those guys that can play on different lines, different positions. He's really valuable for us right now." Compher is expected to play wing on Monday against the Blues, centering the second line with Artturi Lehkonen and Alex Newhook.

Homecomings

Monday's game will be a homecoming for two Blues players: former Avalanche captain Erik Johnson and former Avalanche first-round pick Klim Kostin. Johnson was traded to St. Louis in July 2021 after spending 11 seasons with the Avalanche. He was a member of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup championship team. Kostin was traded to St. Louis in March 2022 after spending three seasons with the Avalanche. He was a member of Colorado's 2021 Stanley Cup finalist team. Both players are expected to be in the lineup on Monday.