He is supposed to have a backache because the weight of the world is on his shoulders as the heir apparent to Patrick Roy as the starting Avalanche goalie. Patches of hair are supposed to be missing from the stress. Bottles of Maalox should be sitting in his locker stall.

But on Monday, Aebischer, 25, was the same imperturbable, low-pulsed person he always has been. He spoke of succeeding the goalie generally regarded as the greatest of all time as if it happens every day. Why aren't his fingernails stubs like those on hard-core Avs fans, worried about the Swiss youngster replacing the skates of a legend?

"I'm doing just great," Aebischer said after skating with a handful of Avalanche players, past and present, at the team's practice facility. "I'm preparing for this training camp just like any other. I'm not looking at things any differently than I have in the last three years."

Aebischer is well aware Roy's No. 33 nameplate has been removed from the stall next to his in the Avs' locker room. He knows his standing with the team is different now. He just isn't letting it show.

"Of course, I know it's a change this year," said Aebischer, who arrived in Denver on Saturday after spending most of the summer in Switzerland. "I know there could be more (media attention) on me. But, really, I'm not changing anything in my approach to the game or trying to do things different."

Aebischer worked almost every day in the summer on some aspect of his game and conditioning. He spent a lot of time with Swiss goalie coach Bruno Knutti, working on improving his butterfly style. He played a lot of badminton to improve his hand-eye coordination. He worked hard in the weight room, strengthening his lower body and trying to improve his flexibility.

It was encouraging to teammates that Aebischer was among the first Avalanche regulars to take part in nonmandatory workouts in Denver.

"I've played with him since the minors, and he's always been a hard worker and he's become one of the best in the league because of that, and I think he'll be better this year," winger Dan Hinote said. "You can tell he's excited about the season, even if it doesn't always seem like it. He's got a lot of fire in his belly."

Hinote knows NHL pundits everywhere are going to put a question mark in the goalie category when discussing Colorado's Stanley Cup chances. The addition of Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne gives the Avs the potential for two Hart Trophy winners on its top two lines and four 50-goal scorers in the mix. The defense seems solid.

But what about that goaltending?

"Count us out," Hinote said. "Go ahead, take us lightly. That's perfect; go ahead, don't think we're going to be any good. I like being the underdog anyway.

"And (Aebischer) is the kind of kid who will take that as a challenge. He'll say, 'No one expects me to step in and fill his shoes because they're so big.' And he'll thrive on that. We have confidence in him. With a brand-new goalie coming in, you don't really know him. But we've played with him for three years and we've seen what he can do."

Said defenseman Derek Morris: "You can't compare anybody to Patrick Roy. But, believe me, we have confidence in (Aebischer)."

Aebischer's biggest challenge could be stopping his own teammates in practice. Not since the Pittsburgh Penguins of the early 1990s and the Edmonton Oilers of the '80s has a team's offense looked so good on paper as this season's Avalanche.

"I don't think you can help getting better as a goalie having to face the guys we have every day in practice," Aebischer said. "I'm looking forward to that, too."

Aebischer will stay in Denver until the start of training camp Sept. 13. Rookie Phil Sauve, Aebischer's probable backup, will arrive next week. Prospect Peter Budaj manned the other goal Monday in a scrimmage that featured former Avalanche players Steve Reinprecht, Stephane Yelle, Rick Berry and Scott Parker.

Memories of Roy had been removed from the locker room and the ice. But Aebischer said he will keep Roy's single-mindedness about winning in the room.

"His mental game is what I learned the most from him," Aebischer said. "He was always at the same level. He changed the game, but he never changed."