More Work To Be Done For Dries

Sheldon Dries has survived the latest round of cuts, but his spot with the Colorado Avalanche for opening night is far from secure. It's a situation he is well aware of, and he knows that there is still plenty work to be done if he wants to make it to the NHL.
"It's exciting for sure, I'm not going sugarcoat it, but it doesn't mean I'm going to stay here all year," Dries said on Tuesday. "I need to keep working, keep striving forward and take it day by day."

Dries is one of 22 remaining active players in Denver heading into Thursday's season opener at home against the Minnesota Wild, but there could still be some fluctuation with the club's roster before the puck drops on the new campaign. Colorado presently has four players injured in Sven Andrighetto, Vladislav Kamenev, Anton Lindholm and Conor Timmins, but Kamenev's and Lindholm's ailments are considered minor.
With the Avalanche's American Hockey League affiliate just an hour away in Loveland, the team will utilize all of the players in its organization as much as possible this season. It could be an instance where some players will practice in Denver but then play with the Colorado Eagles to stay fresh and game ready if they're not getting enough NHL playing time.
Colorado did that on Tuesday as Mark Alt practiced with the Avs but was reassigned to the Eagles later in the afternoon. The defenseman could be back in the near future.
"We mentioned that we don't want guys sitting around here, not playing for long periods of time, especially if the circumstances work… There is flexibility there," said Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. "We have the ability to send guys down and recall them if we need them. There is possibly still a cut or two this week, move guys down for the weekend if they're not going to play for us. We're just working on setting our roster for opening night."

Dries doesn't have a lot of size at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, but he makes up for it with his skating and his tenacity in the front of the net and on the defensive side of the ice. He finished the preseason with two goals, four penalty minutes and 12 shots in five games.
"I like his work ethic, No. 1," Bednar said of what he's been impressed with of Dries. "I think he brings an element of speed. You saw it a little more in some (preseason) games more than others. He has a nose for the net, and he's not afraid to play in traffic. He's found a way to score two goals from the front of the net, he hit another post in Vegas."
The Macomb Township, Wisconsin, native signed a one-year contract with the Avalanche on July 2 after spending last season on an American Hockey League-only contract with the Texas Stars, the top minor-league affiliate of Dallas. He had 19 goals and 30 points in 70 regular season contests in Texas before adding 10 goals in the postseason during the Stars' run to the AHL Calder Cup Final.

Bednar said he didn't know anything about Dries before training camp, but the center has certainly made his mark with him and the coaching staff since arriving in Denver.
"We've done some homework as a coaching staff, and [general manager Joe Sakic's] team has done some research on him," Bednar said. "He's a guy that they've identified that we like for numerous reasons. He didn't disappoint in camp, that is why he is still here. We like what we've seen from the guys that are still here and are knocking on the door."
Dries was on the Avs' fourth line at Tuesday's practice, alternating into drills with Matt Calvert, J.T. Compher and Dominic Toninato. It's a spot that fits his style and could allow him to break into the league for the first time.
"There is obviously a spot open on the fourth line, and usually you got to be good defensively," Dries said. "That is part of my game that I like, and I want to take full advantage of it."
Dries said his expectation entering this season was to make the Avalanche, and he is now the closest he's ever been to the NHL.
"Given the opportunity to sign here, I obviously want to make an impression right away," Dries said. "I feel like I put my best foot forward, but there is still a lot of work to be done."