Avalanche report: Arnason called out

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 10, 2008 at 9:58 p.m.

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Granato said center Tyler Arnason, who was a healthy scratch Saturday, has to play better to return to the lineup.

"The bottom line is we have to dress the 12 forwards that give us the best chance to win, and I didn't think 'Arnie' was one of those 12 forwards for that game," Granato said. "It's pretty simple; there's other guys that deserve to be playing in front of him.

"He has to get into the game and do what he does best, and that is play hard. If he doesn't play hard and doesn't do the little things that we're asking him to do consistently and others guys will, then other guys will play."

Arnason has two goals on 17 shots and a minus-2 rating in 13 games. He had 10 goals and 21 assists in 70 games last season in the first year of a two-year, $3.35 million contract he signed after posting 16 goals and 33 assists in 82 games in 2006-07.

"In hockey, lots of things happen," Arnason said. "It's the nature of the game, I guess. What are you going to do, right? It was the coach's decision. I wasn't happy about it. It's the way it goes sometimes and you have to move on.

"The team pulled out a win, so it was good. I didn't play as good the first five (games), but lately I think I've played a little better."

Asked if he felt Granato was sending him a message, Arnason said: "I'm not sure if that's what they're doing, but it's been a long message. We'll see."

Leopold shining

After missing 106 games during his first two seasons with the Avalanche because of injuries, Jordan Leopold finally is healthy and has been one of the team's top defensemen.

"I feel good. I haven't had any hiccups or anything," said Leopold, who has played in all 14 games and has three goals and three assists. "This is probably the healthiest I've felt probably in four years, since before the lockout. I kind of feel like a kid again.

"It's nice. I can come out and practice and not have aches and pains and stay on the ice the whole time. It's a little bit different, but that's what I used to do when I was younger and I felt better."

Parker gone

Scott Parker's time with the Avalanche has ended. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound forward's contract with the team has been terminated, making him an unrestricted free agent, because he wouldn't report to the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League. Parker, 30, began the season on injured reserve because of a concussion and was assigned to Lake Erie on Oct. 17.

"I'm not in position to comment at this time," Rich Evans, Parker's agent, said while confirming his client no longer is with the organization.

Parker, who lives in Castle Rock, signed a one-year contract during the offseason that would have paid him $500,000 in the NHL and $100,000 in the minors.

Asked if he could recall players over the years that balked at playing in the minors, Granato said, "Not too many."

Parker, nicknamed "The Sheriff" for his imposing figure and enforcer role, had no goals and 70 penalty minutes in 25 games last season. He has seven goals, 14 assists and 699 penalty minutes in 308 career NHL games.

Etc.

* Forward Cody McCormick will be available for Wednesday's game. He was away from the team to attend his grandmother's funeral.

* Center Ben Guite was wincing in pain when he left the ice near the end of practice Monday. Granato said Guite "lost his wind."

* Defenseman Kyle Cumiskey has been returned to Lake Erie.

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