Can these Avalanche veterans make an impact?
The Colorado Avalanche came up short in their quest to win the Stanley Cup in 2024. Colorado is not too far removed from winning the Stanley Cup themselves. They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022 to win their first championship since 2001. However, it's been tough sledding for the Avalanche since that triumph.
In 2023, Colorado made the playoffs and faced the upstart Seattle Kraken. Seattle made their first playoff appearance that year and did so without a ton of star power. Nevertheless, the Kraken defeated Colorado in seven games to end the Avalanche's Stanley Cup defense in round one.
The Avalanche returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024. In the first round, they took on the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg won the first game after a poor performance from Alex Georgiev. However, Colorado bounced back to win the series in five games. Their playoff run didn't last long, though, as they lost in round two to the Dallas Stars.
Colorado wants to make the postseason again in 2025. If they want to do so, they will need some of their veteran players to step up in the season ahead. Here are two of those Avalanche veterans who could make an impact in this upcoming campaign.
Jonathan Drouin could build on 2023-24 success
Jonathan Drouin signed with the Avalanche last summer in hopes of resurrecting his career. He reunited with former junior hockey teammate Nathan Mackinnon in Denver. And the hope was that the chemistry the two had before entering the NHL could translate all these years later.
It's safe to say that it worked out well. Drouin had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023-24. In fact, he set a new career-high with 56 points, 19 of which were goals. He ranked fourth among Colorado in terms of points. Only Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen scored more.
Drouin finished second among Avalanche forwards in Goals For Percentage (66.43), according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he finished third in Goals For Per 60 Minutes (5.06) and in Expected Goals For Per 60 (4.45). Finally, he had a 2.5 WAR this past season, which is the highest WAR he has recorded.
Drouin even held his own defensively, though he wasn't a stout defender. The Avalanche forward finished with the lowest Goals Against Per 60 (2.56) in 2023-24. Furthermore, he finished with 1.2 Defensive Goals Above Replacement, which is the second-highest DGAR of his career.
Jonathan Drouin had a successful stint with the Avalanche in 2023-24. Now he is back on another one-year contract for the 2024-25 season. And he should have every opportunity to make an impact next to MacKinnon in 2024-25.
Erik Brannstrom could be a high-reward signing
The Ottawa Senators acquired Erik Brannstrom from the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019. Vegas traded for star forward Mark Stone as they pushed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in their second season. Ottawa, meanwhile, hoped Brannstrom would become a star for them in his own right.
Unfortunately, it did not work out. The former top prospect never lived up to the hype and potential he entered the league with. As a result, the Senators let him walk in NHL Free Agency. The Avalanche signed him this summer to give them added defensive depth.
Brannstrom could very well provide some value down the lineup. In fact, he had his most productive offensive season in 2023-24. The former first-round pick scored three goals and 20 points, both totals representing a career-high.
Brannstrom is penciled in on Colorado's third pairing ahead of the new season. If he can come out of the gates hot, he could very well establish himself as a bottom-pairing defender who could contribute to the power play. And he could help the Avalanche push for another playoff appearance in 2025.
