Jonathan Drouin will return to the Colorado Avalanche in 2024-25. The Quebec forward signed a one-year contract on Monday.
The 29-year-old left wing had an NHL career-high 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) in 79 games last season, his first with the Avalanche. He added three assists in three playoff games.
Drouin will therefore have the opportunity to play at least one more season with his good friend Nathan MacKinnon. During the NHL trophy ceremony on June 27, MacKinnon had some kind words for his long-time companion.
“Jonathan Drouin is definitely my favourite teammate of all the guys I’ve had,” MacKinnon said. “We really understand each other. We met when we were 12 or 13 and we had some great times together in Halifax. We both bring out the best in each other.”
Selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the third overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Drouin has 337 points (96 goals, 241 assists) in 564 regular-season games with the Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Lightning, and 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 36 playoff games.
The Avalanche also signed 28-year-old forward Joel Kiviranta and 33-year-old defenseman Calvin de Haan to one-year deals.
Kiviranta had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 56 games in his first season with Colorado in 2023-24. De Haan had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) on 82 blocked shots in 59 regular-season games for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
