Matt Nieto will never change the No. 83 on his sweater because of the connection it represents with his younger sister Erin.



Erin, 19, was diagnosed with Down syndrome and autism. She is also nonverbal. There are 20 or so words she can say, according to Mary Nieto, who is Erin and Matt’s mother.



“Avalanche” is one of those words. “Matt” is another. In fact, she says “Matt! Matt!” whenever she watches an Avalanche game on television.



She can also say “83” because that is the number Nieto wore when he broke into the NHL with the San Jose Sharks until being claimed off waivers by the Avalanche during the 2016-17 season.



“When Matt went over to Colorado from the Sharks, he kept his number because she knows how to say ‘83,’” Mary said. “He’ll never change it because of that.”



Right now, Nieto and the Avalanche are one of the more fascinating...