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This article was published 26/6/2017 (1188 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HE is leaving the NHL’s worst team but that didn’t ease the pain for goalie Calvin Pickard when he was scooped up in Thursday’s NHL Expansion Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Colorado Avalanche struggled in 2016-17 but it was a breakout season for Pickard, who became the Avs’ go-to guy after season-ending surgery to No. 1 man Semyon Varlamov. Pickard capped his season by backstopping Team Canada to a silver medal at the world championship this spring and hoped Colorado GM Joe Sakic would find a way to keep him.

It was not to be. Sakic protected Varlamov and left Pickard exposed.

"It’s a weird situation. I mean, I loved it in Denver and I had a good opportunity here," said the 25-year-old Winnipeg product via telephone from Denver Sunday afternoon. "I played a lot of games in the last couple of years and everybody treated me so well. But with the expansion draft, you can only protect one goalie.

"I still didn’t see it as a possibility, that it was going to happen until it got closer to the reveal and it started to become more of a reality. Then it happened. There’s definitely a lot of mixed emotions. It’s kinda sunk in and it’s definitely exciting."

Vegas has three experienced goaltenders on the roster, including Pickard, former Pittsburgh Penguins No. 1 Marc-Andre Fleury and ex-New York Islander Jean-Francois Berube.

The charismatic Fleury will be the face of the franchise in its inaugural season and figures to get the lion’s share of the work in net. Pickard understands that.

"I just know I’m going to be there," said Pickard. "Nothing changes for me. I just have to take advantage of my opportunities. Backup goalies play quite a bit. It’s not like it used to be where a backup would only play a handful of games. You need two good goalies to win in this league and I’m sure I’ll get my chances. I’m excited to play with Marc-Andre for sure."

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Pickard will see a number of familiar faces in Vegas.

Centres Cody Eakin and Brendan Leipsic, both Winnipeggers, were plucked from the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively. Another local product, 18-year-old centre Cody Glass, was Vegas’ top pick (No. 6 overall) in Friday night’s NHL Draft and another expansion draft acquisition, defenceman Shea Theodore, was a teammate of Pickard’s with the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds.

Right-winger Keegan Kolesar, another ex-Thunderbird and Winnipeg product, was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Pickard is in a contract year after signing a two-year, US$2-million deal last summer and a good season would translate well at the negotiating table.

"I signed that two-year deal last summer and I’ve got one year left and it’s a big chance for me," he said. "To feel wanted and to be snatched up by Vegas means a lot to me."

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14