Varlamov, 29, moved easily in the crease and said he has fully recovered from the hip surgeries he had halfway through last season -- one on each hip, four weeks apart -- to put an end to the frequent groin injuries that have plagued his NHL career.
"I felt good physically," he said. "Even if I give up five goals, of course I'm not happy about it, but physically I feel good. I'm not even tired, so conditioning is good. I just need to get back into game shape. I feel good in practices and it's time to play in the real games.
"I was very excited, actually, even though we were playing against each other, a friendly game. It's exciting to be at the rink like this. This was for me a real game.
For the Avalanche to be competitive, they will need a healthy and effective Varlamov, who was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2013-14 when they finished first in the Central Division.
Last season ended for Varlamov after he allowed five goals on 26 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 17. He went 6-17-0 with a 3.38 goals-against average and .898 save percentage -- the worst numbers of his nine-season NHL career -- and the Avalanche finished last in the League with 48 points.
"He says he feels good and healthy and strong," coach Jared Bednar said. "We know he's put a lot of work into his conditioning to get back. I expect him to keep progressing. We have to get him back in the net and seeing some pucks in game situations."