Keeping The Kids In Colorado

from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN, Matt Duchene? Hardly surprising. Ryan O’Reilly? Now that one we didn’t see coming three weeks ago. The Colorado Avalanche announced this week they’re keeping both 18-year-old centers and not returning them to junior hockey, a huge accomplishment for both kids. Once they play in their 10th NHL game Friday night, their NHL entry-level contracts kick in regardless of whether they are later sent back down to junior. They’re in for the long haul. “Certainly their play dictated the majority of that decision, along with the fact our head coach and coaching staff were very comfortable with these two players, both Matt and Ryan, not only with their minutes but also in crucial parts of the game,” Avs GM Greg Sherman told ESPN.com. But it’s not an easy decision in the world of this collective-bargaining agreement. continued