Klemm Likely for Opener

The Colorado Avalanche could add some defensive depth in time for the Stanley Cup finals.

Defenseman Jon Klemm practiced Wednesday for the first time since injuring his right knee and hopes to play Saturday in Game 1 against the New Jersey Devils.

“I felt really good,” he said. “We’ll know a little more [today] and I’ll do some contact drills to see how it feels. I’m a little tentative doing some pivots, and I just want to get my confidence back.”

Klemm has only one goal and two assists in the playoffs but he has a plus-7 plus-minus rating.

Klemm injured his knee Friday when he slammed into the boards in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against St. Louis.

Peter Laviolette didn’t get the job he wanted with the Boston Bruins, finding it instead with the New York Islanders, who introduced him as their 10th coach.

Laviolette, 36, has no experience as an NHL coach and he takes over a team that has missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.

“I want to win and I want to bring people back into the building,” Laviolette said.

Before joining the Bruins this season, Laviolette coached Boston’s AHL affiliate at Providence for two seasons. He won the league championship in 1998-99.

Laviolette replaces the fired Butch Goring.

Defenseman Patrick Traverse, 27, signed a three-year, $2.5-million contract to remain with Montreal. . . . The San Jose Sharks bought the franchise rights of the Kentucky Thoroughblades, the NHL team’s top development affiliate in the American Hockey League.