Semyon Varlamov's 2016-17 season is over. The Colorado Avalanche goaltender will have surgery on his hip in Vail on Thursday morning and miss the remainder of the season.
Terry Frei of the Denver Post broke the news, and the team confirmed it Thursday morning.
Varlamov has dealt with groin muscle issues throughout the year, and the surgery will try to correct that.
Varlamov has appeared in 24 games for the Avalanche this season. His 3.38 goals-against average and .898 save percentage are the worst marks of his nine-year career. The 28-year-old Russian has seen his numbers steadily decline every year since that 2013-14 campaign, when he posted a .927 save percentage and finished second in voting for the Vezina Trophy.
Colorado figure to use Calvin Pickard and Spencer Martin in Varlamov's absence. Pickard's numbers — 3.01 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage — are only slightly better than Varlamov's. Martin, 21, was called up from the San Antonio Rampage earlier this month and has made two starts.
Varlamov is under contract through the next two seasons. His annual cap hit is $5.9 million.
The Avalanche go into the All-Star break with a 4-22-2 record in their last 28 games. They have a 13-31-2 and rank last in the NHL with 28 points.
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