Avalanche's free agent blunder remains one of the NHL's greatest mysteries
Photo credit: The Denver Post
David Koci's time with the Colorado Avalanche is still widely regarded as the team's worst free agent signing, an acquisition that continues to baffle fans and analysts alike, making it one of the NHL's most enduring mysteries.
The Avalanche signed Koci to a one-year deal in 2009.
Free agent flop still haunts Avalanche.
Nestor Quixtan from Mile High Sticking writes that the financial decisions of the signing were never made public. The 6-foot-6 Czech native had originally been selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the 2000 NHL Draft. Taken 146th overall, expectations were never high for him to become a major NHL standout.
"Still, he broke into the league in 2006-07 with the Chicago Blackhawks. He played parts of two seasons there before playing one game with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008-09, then getting traded to the St. Louis Blues, and then returning to the Lightning the very same season to play another 32 games." -Quixtan
By the 2009 offseason, Koci had hit free agency and was searching for a fresh opportunity. The Avalanche saw potential value in adding him to their bottom six, not for scoring, but to bring some added grit and physical presence to the lineup.
In the 2009-10 season, Koci suited up for 23 games with the Avalanche, managing just one goal while collecting 84 penalty minutes and averaging only 3:03 of ice time per game.
Still, it was an upgrade from the mere 41 seconds he saw in his Lightning debut back in 2008. Despite the minimal impact, the Avalanche felt he was worth another shot and re-signed him in 2010 on a one-year deal.
During the 2010-11 season, Koci played in 35 games, once again scoring just a single goal. He averaged 4:05 of ice time and tallied 80 penalty minutes, almost identical to his previous year's production.
"Interestingly enough, he had a fairly decent shooting percentage. In 2009-10, he tallied six shots on goal, scoring once for a 16.7% shooting percentage. The following season, it was nine shots on goal and one tally for 11.1%." -Quixtan
Considering Koci was a fringe NHL player, his performance wasn't too bad. He was never expected to be a regular in the league, so earning a legitimate shot at the pros was an achievement in itself.
"Koci was done after the 2010-11 season. He played in 142 NHL games, totaling three goals and one assist for four points. He racked up 461 penalty minutes while averaging 4:15 of ice time throughout his NHL tenure." -Quixtan
Koci may be one of the Avalanche's forgotten players, but he deserves a mention for going down as one the team's worst signings in history.
Previously on Avalanche Insider
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 25 | 18 ANSWERS Avalanche's free agent blunder remains one of the NHL's greatest mysteries Do you remember when David Koci played for the Avalanche? | ||
| yes | 2 | 11.1 % |
| no | 16 | 88.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
