The Avalanche enters the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers not quite as healthy as it was in the first two rounds of the postseason, but similarly deep and dangerous.
Colorado’s lone injury is to defenseman Sam Girard, who broke his sternum in Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues in the conference semifinals and will miss the rest of the postseason.
Byram, 20, had a combined five assists in Games 4, 5 and 6 against the Blues to become the youngest player in Avalanche history to build a three-game postseason points streak. He logged a postseason-high 19:25 in Friday’s 3-2 series-clinching victory and had the primary assist on J.T. Compher’s game-tying goal midway through the third period.
“In the playoffs, a lot of the time you’re so revved up and everything means so much that you’re not really thinking. You’re just playing,” Byram said after Sunday’s practice at Ball Arena. “I think when I’m just letting my instincts take over, that’s when I’m playing my best. I’m not thinking too much, not trying to do too much.