"There wasn't a whole lot of distractions or other obligations or families and friends and things like that for the guys to hang out with, but it just kind of forces you to break down those walls that a lot of guys come into the season with to a new group. Some of the younger guys might be a little shy around the older veteran guys and things like that, and I think that trip was great to kind of break down those barriers."
Right before the team got on the plane for Stockholm, the Avalanche made a three-team trade with the Senators and Nashville Predators and acquired rookies Samuel Girard and Vladislav Kamenev from the Preds.
Girard was with Nashville in Los Angeles at the time and made the long trek from the West Coast of the United States to Scandinavia to meet his new teammates in Sweden.
"For me, I didn't know those guys and I got a week there to be with those guys in the hotel," said Girard, the club's youngest player at 19 years old. "We had some good dinners and at the rink, practicing with them, everything was special there. I think that's why the chemistry right now is amazing.
"They accepted me right away, the group in Sweden. It was a fun weekend there with them and everyone liked each other and it is nice to be around that group. The veterans as well helped the young guys like me a lot. Landeskog, Erik Johnson, Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Barrie, those guys help me a lot on the ice and off ice to be a better player and a better person."
After being acquired by the Avalanche, Girard appeared in all 68 games and tallied 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) while averaging 17:42 of ice time.
He became just the fourth Avalanche rookie blueliner to reach 20 points since the franchise moved to Denver, joining John-Michael Liles (34 in 2003-04), Kevin Shattenkirk (26 in 2010-11) and Ryan Wilson (21 in 2009-10).
"I don't know how much time he had spent with Nashville previous to that trip, but no doubt coming to an NHL team for the first time you are going to be a little shy and nervous about things," Landeskog said of Girard arriving in Sweden. "I know I was, and I was just coming into training camp like anybody else. I hope 'G' felt like he was welcome. Throughout the course of the season, he has really blossomed and you really see his personality on a daily basis. He is a quiet guy but a lot of fun to be around, and he has really impressed me by his growth on the ice."
Girard made his Avalanche debut in Sweden and picked up his first point in a burgundy and blue sweater in that contest. However, his biggest game as an Av might have come this past Saturday in a winner-take-all matchup against the St. Louis Blues.
The young defenseman scored late in the first period to give Colorado a 1-0 lead in its playoff-clinching victory at Pepsi Center.
Although Girard only played five games with Nashville to start the season, he will return to Bridgestone Arena and face his former team with the Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The best-of-seven series starts on Thursday.
"I am pretty happy to play against them," he said. "It is going to be fun to play there, to play against my old team, we are going to have fun there. We are going to have to play our game and to make sure we give it all of what we got."
Girard has found a home in the Mile High City and will be looked upon to be a key contributor in the postseason.
