DENVER -- Reporting day was dreary for Chris Drury.

Drury, the NHL's top rookie two seasons ago, was the only no-show as the Colorado Avalanche reported to training camp on Thursday.

Although the two sides were still negotiating, there appeared to be little progress, meaning Drury likely will be absent when the Avalanche play their annual intrasquad scrimmage Sunday in Colorado Springs.

	Drury might not be raising his hands in celebration as a member of the Avs for a while because of a contract impasse.

"As coaches, we have no control over those situations," coach Bob Hartley said. "I'm sure that we should have news shortly."

A restricted free agent, Drury had 20 goals and 47 assists while making $640,000 last season. He was seeking a one-year contract that would take him into his first year of arbitration next summer.

Teammate Milan Hejduk, also entering his third season, opted for a four-year, $8.8 million deal on Wednesday, leaving Drury as Colorado's lone holdout.

"A lot of teams have a few guys out. Chris is the only guy on our team that's not here," center Peter Forsberg said. "Of course he's a good player, and I hope he's going to come back soon, but we've just got to keep going and when he comes back, it's good for us."

Colorado general manager Pierre Lacroix does not discuss contract negotiations, and Drury's agent, Mark Witkin, declined comment on the talks Thursday.

The Avalanche, meanwhile, took physicals in advance of their first practice Friday.

Coming off consecutive appearances in the Western Conference finals, Colorado is hoping to overtake the Dallas Stars, who have eliminated them from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

"I think it's a failure every time you don't win the Cup," Forsberg said. "We've been close a couple of years now. If you look at the last two years, we lost in the seventh game in Dallas. We've got to be higher up in points this year and maybe grab that seventh game at home."

Forsberg is among many high-profile players returning for the 2000-01 season. The Avalanche re-signed free agents Ray Bourque, Adam Deadmarsh, Joe Sakic and Stephane Yelle, and they have Hejduk (36 goals, 36 assists), defenseman Adam Foote and goaltender Patrick Roy back as well.

With 444 career victories, Roy needs just four more to break Terry Sawchuk's NHL record. If he can win two of three season-opening road games, Roy could make history Sept. 14 at the Pepsi Center. Otherwise, Colorado plays six of its first seven games on the road.

"His chase for Terry Sawchuk's record is going to be unbelievable for our players, for the coaching staff, for this organization and the entire community," Hartley said. "We're going to live something that is going to be very special."