Semyon Varlamov will receive the start in net for Thursday's opener against the Wild

Varlamov will receive the start in net for Thursday's opener against the Wild, the Denver Post reports.

Analysis:

Varlamov enters the 2015-16 season as the top netminder for the Avalanche, whereas the battle really occurred for the backup job behind him. Reto Berra ultimately won the competition, but Varlamov should see the lion's share of starts between the pipes this season. He posted a decent .921 save percentage last season, but also a 2.56 GAA which places him above the league average. The Avalanche also tied for the third-most shots allowed per game last season, so it might be worth tempering expectations on the veteran.