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The first round of the 2023 NHL Draft did not feature any trades during the event itself. However, there was one notable trade on draft day that went down hours before round one. The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Ross Colton from the cash-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning. On Monday, Colorado ensured Colton would stick around for a few years.
The Avalanche and Colton agreed to a four-year contract, the team announced. Colorado traded the 37th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft to Tampa Bay for Colton's signing rights as a restricted free agent.
Colton made his debut in the 2020-21 season for the Lightning. He didn't make a major impact but scored nine goals and 12 points in 30 regular season games. He added four goals and six points in the playoffs as he and the Lightning won the Stanley Cup.
In 2021-22, the newest member of the Avalanche broke out. He scored 22 goals and 39 points in 79 regular season games. The Lightning once again made the Stanley Cup Final that year. However, Colton watched on as the Avalanche lifted Lord Stanley's Cup in 2022.
This past season saw the 26-year-old play all but one game. His goal-scoring output dropped a bit, as he only found the back of the net 16 times. Colton finished the 2022-23 season with 32 points.
“Ross is a hard-working, two-way center with a championship pedigree,” said Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland, via the team's website, after the June 28 trade. “He has physicality to his game, is ultra competitive and his versatility will make him a valuable addition to our lineup in a lot of ways.”
After winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the Avalanche had a bit of a rough season. They dealt with injuries and just didn't look like their usual selves. This culminated in a first-round exit against the Seattle Kraken.
The Avalanche certainly want to go on another deep playoff run in 2024. Let's see if Ross Colton is one of the pieces that can help make that deep run a possibility.
