Sources confirm it appears the Colorado Avalanche will be cutting ties with another veteran forward
Photo credit: Denver Gazette - Christian Murdock
Over the next month or so, the Colorado Avalanche face several important decisions as they evaluate their pending unrestricted free agent.
One player who could significantly influence the course of the Avalanche's offseason is left winger Jonathan Drouin.
It appears the Colorado Avalanche will be cutting ties with another veteran forward.
Jackie Kay from Mile High Hockey writes that it originally turned out to be a smart signing for the organization back in 2023-24, driven in part by the longstanding friendship and shared history between Drouin and superstar Nathan MacKinnon.
"The 2024-25 season for both Drouin and the Avalanche provided mixed results. The injury bug bit again as he missed the bulk of the first half of the season with a lingering ailment but when he was in the lineup Drouin was still bringing the results with 37 points in 43 games." -Kay
The real issue surfaced during the playoffs, when Drouin was moved off MacKinnon's line and struggled to find his rhythm alongside second-line center Brock Nelson.
"Drouin was eventually moved to the third line partly due to ineffectiveness and also captain Gabe Landeskog's return. What once was a fit in Colorado that helped propel Drouin was now undermining his game as there was no path to success in this set-up. Drouin saw his time on ice drop to a shocking 7:45 in all situations by Game 7. The three points he provided in the early part of the series came on the power play and the team didn't score one goal at even strength with him on the ice over the entire seven games against Dallas." -Kay
The final impression has left many fans skeptical about Drouin's potential return. Now, with his next contract likely to come at a higher price, the cost has become a legitimate concern.
"The fickle nature of Jared Bednar and the Avalanche, which in part drove them to dress 50 different players this season, has led to a lot of players getting quickly replaced and even with Drouin's track record of improved defensive game and production probably isn't a recipe for a return." -Kay
It's a difficult decision that could swing in either direction, but ultimately, the call on Drouin is likely to set the tone for the rest of the Avalanche's offseason moves.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 39 ANSWERS Sources confirm it appears the Colorado Avalanche will be cutting ties with another veteran forward Do you think Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin has played his last game in Colorado? | ||
| yes | 30 | 76.9 % |
| no | 9 | 23.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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