Matt Duchene will not return sooner than expected after all.

The star Avalanche center hoped to return from an oblique injury by Saturday in Los Angeles, but after trying to skate before Avalanche practice Wednesday, that was ruled out.

“There’s no point in rushing this,” Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. “We need him at 100 percent, and after skating today, he realized he would not be able to play.”

Duchene, the Avs’ leading scorer with 20 points (12 goals) in 19 games, suffered the injury Saturday night against Florida. He will not accompany the team on its two-game road trip to Phoenix and Los Angeles.

That means more ice time, probably, for 18-year-old rookie Nathan MacKinnon.

“I would say, the last four or five games, he might have been our best player out there,” Roy said.

Semyon Varlamov will start in goal Thursday against the Coyotes, who are 9-0-1 at home this season. Roy said a goalie determination for the Kings game Saturday has yet to be made.

Cory Sarich will be back in the lineup Thursday after sitting out one game as a healthy scratch. He will replace Nick Holden.

Adrian Dater: adater@denverpost.com or twitter.com/adater