Avalanche make a bold roster decision that's quickly turning heads across the NHL

Solovyov, 25, spent a couple of weeks in the AHL getting game action, then had his loan cut short Sunday as Colorado terminated the assignment and recalled him ahead of their road game.

It's been a quiet season for the big lefty, who has yet to reach the scoresheet in 9 NHL games while logging spot shifts on the backend. Over that stretch he's collected a handful of shots, blocked plenty of pucks, and mixed his physicality with occasional rough edges in his own zone.

Bradley Keith from Pro Hockey Rumors writes that Solovyov's year in Colorado has been a waiting game, one that started when the Avalanche claimed him off waivers from the Calgary Flames in early October.

That move was designed to add a left-shot defender with size to the Avalanche depth chart, and though he hasn't stuck in the lineup, the organization still sees value in keeping him close.

Before his recall this weekend he had been a healthy scratch for an extended stretch, a tough spot for a player trying to carve out an NHL role. Sending him to the Eagles was more about keeping legs fresh and letting minutes build than it was about performance punishment, and the conditioning stint gave him that chance.

Now back with the big club, Solovyov gives head coach Jared Bednar another option to round out the seventh defense spot when needed. Fans have debated his place on the roster, but Solovyov's size and left-handed shot still matter to a team juggling injuries and lineup rotation.

He won't likely draw heavy minutes right away, but the extra body with NHL experience helps the Avalanche manage workload and respond to in-game adjustments.

Solovyov's next chance to show traction with the Avs could come quickly, and if he can carve out a reliable role it may quiet some of the chatter about his future on this blue line.