Vejmelka was the first goaltender off the ice at morning skate, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports, and will get the Opening Night assignment in Colorado on Thursday.
Vejmelka took a huge step forward last season, posting a 26-22-8 mark with a 2.58 GAA and a .904 save percentage, far superior to 2023-24 when he went 13-19-2 with a 3.35 GAA and an .895 save percentage. The Avalanche won their first game of the season Tuesday, finding the back of the net on four occasions in a road win over Los Angeles.