Journeyman goalie Andrew Hammond is suddenly the guardian of Colorado’s professional hockey scene.
That throw-in from the Nov. 5 three-team trade that sent disgruntled center Matt Duchene to Ottawa is now the Avalanche’s most important defensive player — right next to 19-year-old defenseman Sam Girard — heading into Game 6 of its Western Conference first-round series against the Predators at the Pepsi Center on Sunday.
They call Hammond “The Hamburgler” — and soon enough, the Duchene trade will be dubbed grand larceny.
The Avalanche, a surprising 2-1 winner in Game 5 on Friday night at Nashville, acquired Hammond and Girard (from Nashville) in the Duchene deal — plus three high draft picks and forward prospects Vladislav Kamenev and Shane Bowers from the Predators and Senators, respectively.