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After ugly loss to Bolts, Roy shakes up Colorado blueline

Patrick Roy

Patrick Roy

AP

The ramifications of Tuesday’s disappoint 4-0 home defeat to Tampa Bay were evident Colorado today.

In order:

-- The club waived veteran d-man Nate Guenin.

-- Fellow blueliner Brandon Gormley, who cleared waivers earlier this week, was dispatched to AHL San Antonio.

-- Defenseman Nikita Zadorov, one of the key pieces acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly trade, was recalled from the Rampage.

-- Also recalled was Chris Bigras, a 20-year-old blueliner that’s one of the club’s top prospects.

More, from the Denver Post:

Patrick Roy said Bigras and Zadorov would be in the lineup against New Jersey Thursday; that Guenin at least temporarily would remain with the team and be a healthy scratch if unclaimed; and that one more defenseman — either Zach Redmond or Andrew Bodnarchuk — also wouldn’t suit up.

Colorado is at the league maximum of 50 player contracts and would have to clear at least one to make a trade, but Guenin, 33, also could be sent down to San Antonio if he is unclaimed.

Colorado’s defense has been in a work in progress all season long, and is now in patchwork territory given veterans Erik Johnson and Brad Stuart are sidelined with injuries. All told, 10 different defensemen have dressed for the Avs this year -- and Bigras will be No. 11, when he makes his NHL debut against the Devils.