Lost in the Avalanche: TJ Galiardi

Another forward who grew out of the times in Colorado.

In this edition of “Lost in the Avalanche,” we go over former winger TJ Galiardi. The Canadian forward was born in Calgary on April 22, 1988. Coming up through the ranks, his play wouldn’t be recognized until he was 18, playing for his hometown Calgary Royals in the AJHL.

19 goals and 37 assists led the way for a 56-point season in 56 games in 2005-2006. But, he also found himself spending plenty of time in the penalty box, recording 70 penalty minutes in those games. The following year, Galiardi would start his college career at Dartmouth, with 14 goals and 17 assists in 33 games. Again, penalties would be an issue with 30 minutes worth.

It seemed to be enough for the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted Galiardi in the second round in the 2007 NHL Draft at 55th overall. His stature at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds was good for an Avs team looking to size up and stay in playoff contention as they had throughout the 2000s with his big hits and stature.

But, he wouldn’t make the jump to the big leagues quite yet. In fact, he took a significant step back by allegedly being kicked out of Dartmouth for academic reasons. It wouldn’t stop him in his hockey venture, however.

He would return to the juniors just after one season of college hockey, playing in the WHL back home for the Calgary Hitmen. He would end up having his highest-scoring season yet, with 70 points in 72 games, made up of 18 goals and 52 assists. Galiardi would also be a menace in the postseason, playing 16 games while providing five goals and 19 assists. But they would fall in the Eastern Conference Final after being dominant all season long and winning their division.

The forward would earn his call-up to the big leagues, starting the 2008-09 season with the then-AHL affiliate of the Avalanche, the Lake Erie Monsters. He would lose a bit of his game, however, with only 27 points in 66 games. Galiardi did find time in Denver though, as he made his NHL debut on March 19, 2009, against the Edmonton Oilers.

He’d finish the year in the Mile High City and scored his first career goal on March 27 against the Vancouver Canucks. Galiardi must’ve loved playing Vancouver his first year in the league, as he also scored twice on them just a week later in British Columbia. Those would be the only three goals of his rookie season, and he tacked on an assist in 11 games.

His move to the NHL would be permanent after the season, as he played 70 games the following year in Colorado. It would end up being his best NHL season ever, with 15 goals and 24 assists for 39 points. His penalty minutes continued to tick upwards, with 28 minutes worth of it. It would also be the only time he’d put on an Avalanche jersey in the postseason, as in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs he had only two apples in the opening series loss to the San Jose Sharks.

It was all downhill from there for Galiardi. He only featured in 35 games in the 2010-11 season, with only 15 points. He’d also find himself back in the AHL, but only for one game with Lake Erie. Overall, it somewhat signaled the start of the end of his time in Colorado.

He’d play 55 games in Denver with the Avs, with only 14 points and an incredibly high 47 penalty minutes. At the trade deadline, he would be shipped off to the Sharks alongside Dann Winnik and a seventh-round pick. Coming the other way were three players: Mike Connolly, Michael Sgarbossa, and Jamie McGinn.

Galiardi would find life nice in the Bay Area, as he reached the postseason with San Jose for two straight seasons. In 14 games through two years, he’d only have one goal and assist though. In between those two seasons, he would also spend the NHL lockout before the 2013 season playing with Bietgiheim-Bissingen SC, a German team in the second division. He’d be fine in seven games with three goals and assists.

His final three years in the NHL would be with three different teams. After his 2013 season in San Jose was over, he’d be traded to his hometown team, the Calgary Flames for one season. Outside of Colorado, it was his best season in the league with four goals and 17 assists in 62 games. But his NHL dream would end with the Winnipeg Jets in 2014-15, with one lone goal in 38 games.

Galiardi slowed down after this, as he continued his career overseas in Sweden and Russia. He had somewhat of a resurgence with the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden, with 15 points in 29 games. But once he moved to Russia, three teams in two years where he only played in 27 games combined with 13 points was rough and he hung up the skates afterward at only 30 years old.

The Canadian seems to have found his calling after hockey though. According to his LinkedIn, he is currently working as an investor and venture partner. He’s also the President of the Steel River Group, an economic development agency supporting Native tribes and people in Calgary.

At only 36 years old now, perhaps he could have pulled an Andrew Cogliano and played long into his career with the right moves. His departure from Colorado came at the right time though, as Gabriel Landeskog had climbed up the ranks, and the following year Nathan MacKinnon would be drafted and inserted straight into the lineup.

Galiardi ended up just being another pawn in the system in Colorado toward a bigger goal and truly was one who was Lost in the Avalanche.