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Avs’ Tanguay looking to bounce back from injury riddled season

Colorado Avalanche v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 24: Alex Tanguay #40 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on January 24, 2014 in Sunrise, Florida. Colorado defeated the Panthers 3-2. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Joel Auerbach

Hip and knee injuries allowed Avalanche veteran Alex Tanguay to appear in just 16 games in 2013-14.

Now healthy, he’s at Colorado’s camp looking to be a factor this season.

“Last year I was a passenger, watching from the sideline,” Tanguay told The Denver Post. “I was almost a fan. But this year I want to be a part of it, and I’m hoping to contribute quite a bit.”

The 34-year-old helped the Avs get out to a 12-1 start last fall, but was then sidelined for 36 games with hip and knee injuries. Tanguay returned for just three games before Colorado shut him down for the remainder of the season.

In February, the forward underwent major hip surgery.

“It was a long, long road with a lot of frustration, lots of everything, and I just wish the surgery would have been done in November, looking back,” Tanguay said. “But at the time we thought I would be able to come back and play. It just didn’t pan out that way.”

According to the Post’s Mike Chambers, Tanguay is expected to star the season on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.

Tanguay, who helped lure free agent Jarome Iginla to Denver, should get a jump start playing with the two gifted forwards.

The former Avalanche first round pick (12th overall in 1998) had four goals and seven points before having his season ended last year.

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