BUFFALO — One of the few certainties of this Colorado Avalanche offseason is Jonathan Drouin would like to continue playing for the team and the most important members of the club want him back.
Making that work with a new contract is not a certainty, but the groundwork for it will start this week. Drouin’s agent, Allan Walsh, confirmed to The Denver Post that he will meet with Avs general manager Chris MacFarland during the NHL draft combine in Buffalo to talk about a new deal for his client.
“From his perspective, (Drouin) thought it was a great fit,” Walsh said. “He loved everything about the organization. He was treated very well. He’s got that incredible connection with Nate, which was an entree, I think, into the dressing room and getting to know the other guys.
“It took a little bit of time to adjust, but there was a great mutual respect between him and the coaching staff, him and management, and most importantly him and his teammates. He thinks it’s a great group of guys. It’s an amazing organization. And he’s made it very clear during the season and especially at the end of the year, in speaking to everybody that he would love to come back.”
Both MacFarland and Avalanche coach Jared Bednar expressed their desire to have Drouin return next season shortly after Colorado lost to Dallas in the second round of the playoffs. Drouin was a great story for the Avs this past season, signing a one-year, $825,000 contract in July with the hope of rebuilding his NHL value.
He did that and more, setting a career-high with 53 points and becoming a trusted two-way player for Bednar.
“I think it just makes too much sense,” said Jon Goyens, who coached Drouin earlier in his career and is now an analyst for TSN in Montreal and Daily Faceoff. “He just looks like a Colorado Avalanche (player). He was flying this year.
“When I saw him in Montreal (in February), he looked like he was in amazing shape. He sounded like he was in a fantastic spot in his life. I think you could just really see a happy player out there. It just seems like a lot of things were reinvigorated and it really clicked for him in Colorado.”
If the Avs had more financial flexibility, signing Drouin to a long-term contract at or near the market rate could be an easy move to facilitate. Colorado does not have a lot of flexibility though, and it’s complicated by Valeri Nichushkin’s suspension and potential return in mid-November or later.
The Avs want Drouin back, and getting him back would be a huge boost with Nichushkin suspended to start the year and both Gabe Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen recovering from injuries.
“All I can say is that Chris MacFarland is one of the most respected GMs in the NHL,” Walsh said. “And he’s known for being a pretty creative guy. If you put two creative guys in a room together who are both motivated to get to a certain point, you usually get to that point.”
“Jack has another year in him”
Jack Johnson’s agent said he’s “pretty positive” the Avs will have interest in bringing back the veteran defenseman.
Like Drouin, Johnson is an unrestricted free agent. He won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022, then signed a one-year contract with Chicago. The Avs traded for him before the 2023 deadline and brought him back on a one-year deal for this past season.
Johnson played 80 games in the regular season and all 11 playoff contests. His 16 points were the most for him in a regular season since 2016-17. Colorado has its top four defensemen under contract for next season, but both Johnson and Sean Walker from the third pairing are UFAs. Sam Malinski could be ready to earn one of those open spots, but the Avs could add multiple veteran defensemen at the right price to bolster the club’s depth.
“It’s a little premature, but I can honestly tell that I’ve been impressed with Jack’s play year after year, although he’s 37 now,” Pat Brisson, Johnson’s agent, said. “I thought he had a really good year again. He’s very consistent. He’s a great example for the younger athletes. I’m pretty positive that the Avalanche are going to be interested in bringing him back.
“I haven’t talked to (Chris MacFarland) lately, but I’m sure we’re going to have some discussions. They have a lot of moving parts. I think Jack has another year in him if not two. I saw him in the playoffs and it was pretty impressive.”
