David Aebischer has spent the past three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche learning from a goaltending legend.

Now he faces the challenge of replacing that legend, future Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy, who announced his retirement Wednesday.

"I'm just going to have to be myself," Aebischer said. "I can't compare myself to Patrick. I'm just going to play my game, give all I have and see at the end of the day what I accomplished."

Aebischer, 25, from Fribourg, Switzerland, was Colorado's seventh choice in the 1997 draft.

"The last three years have been great to work with Patrick," said Aebischer, who has gone 32-25-3 with six shutouts and a 2.18 goals-against average in 69 NHL games. "He was great to me. I learned so much from him. I hope I can use a lot of what he told me and use that on the ice and be a better player."

Aebischer, who played for Switzerland in the Olympics, has already begun working toward next season.

"I've very excited about the opportunity I have now," he said. "I'm looking forward to the challenge. It's going to be an important summer for me. I have to work hard and be ready for training camp and for the season."

Aebischer was training in Vancouver on Wednesday and plans to return home next week to continue his off-season workouts.

"I have always worked hard, but there's more motivation now," he said. "You don't approach the summer any differently, but you have a little more motivation than if you know you are going to be No. 2.

"I took a break right after the season. (Now) I'm in Vancouver to work out. My preparation for next season has already started. I'll work (in Vancouver) with a trainer for one week, then I'm going back to Switzerland to work with my trainer."

Colorado has two other promising goaltending prospects, both of whom played last season in Hershey of the American Hockey League.

Phil Sauve, 23, has played the past three seasons with the Bears and is coming off an All-Star season in Hershey in which he went 25-20-6 with five shutouts and a 2.13 goals-against average.

"There's a job open," said Sauve's father, Bob, who is Roy's agent. "What's going to happen with that, we don't know. It's their decision. Phil just puts his head on and goes to work. Whatever happens, happens."

Forward Alex Tanguay said he would be comfortable with either Aebischer or Sauve in the nets.

"David has been playing great for us the past few years," he said. "I played against Phil Sauve in juniors. I know they are good goaltenders. But what's going to happen is not in (the other players') hands."

Peter Budaj, 20, played 28 games for Hershey last season, compiling a 10-10-2 record and 2.66 goals-against average.

"We are very confident in the guys we've tried to develop to be that replacement for Patrick," coach Tony Granato said. "David Aebischer has developed into a guy that deserves that opportunity.

"We also have a couple other young guys in the organization that are going to be great professional goalies. They are young. You never know until you give them that opportunity as a starter how they are going to respond. You look at (Jean-Sebastien) Giguere (of Anaheim), you look at (Marty) Turco (of Dallas), you look at other goalies, and they really made the transition well, and that's what we expect our guys to do."

"Patrick wasn't going to play forever, so we knew eventually someone was going to have to come in for the Colorado Avalanche and be a starter," coach Tony Granato said. "Right now, that's going to be David Aebischer."

Training camp is months away, but Granato issued a challenge Wednesday.

"You don't replace Patrick. You get someone in there that can go in and do a job to help us win," Granato said. "We believe David, Phil and Peter are those three, but they have to come into training camp, be ready from the first day. We have to have a good start to the season. There's no doubt the start is critical for our organization. We believe in the guys we have, and they are going to get that opportunity."

Aebischer has the support and backing of his teammates.

"David is a great young goaltender," forward Mike Keane said. "We have to pick up the slack in every area. We're very confident. David paid his dues. He's followed Patrick for three years, so it will be a new challenge for us."

Captain Joe Sakic echoed Keane's thoughts.

"This is an organization that prides itself on winning," Sakic said. "Patrick is not here, but someone else is going to step in. David Aebischer is going to get a shot to be the No. 1. You have to give him a chance to prove that. He's gotten better every year, and I think he's ready to take that next step."