In a season marred by injuries, the Colorado Avalanche received some welcome news on Monday as star forward Jonathan Drouin was cleared to return to the lineup. The 29-year-old winger has been sidelined for the past 16 games with an upper-body injury but will suit up on Tuesday night when the Avs host the Winnipeg Jets at Ball Arena.
Drouin’s return comes at a critical juncture for an Avalanche squad sitting just outside the playoff picture in the tightly-contested Western Conference. Colorado has struggled to find consistency amid a revolving door of injured players, with Drouin’s absence leaving a significant void in the team’s top-six forward group.
A Season of Stops and Starts
The 2024-25 campaign has been a frustrating one for Drouin, who has appeared in only five games thus far. After suiting up for the season opener on October 9th, the skilled playmaker was sidelined for over a month before returning for a four-game stint in mid-November.
“It’s been a long year. Kind of play a couple games and get reinjured,” Drouin lamented. “The same kind of thing happened, and kind of redo the whole process of all the rehab and treatment. … It’s very similar, very close to the same one I had to start the year in the first game.”
– Jonathan Drouin
Despite the limited action, Drouin has made his presence felt when healthy, racking up four points (two goals, two assists) while logging over 20 minutes of ice time per game. His dynamic offensive skill set and chemistry with linemates like Mikko Rantanen have been sorely missed in the Avalanche lineup.
Slotting Back In
With Drouin set to reclaim his spot on Colorado’s second line alongside Rantanen and center Ross Colton, head coach Jared Bednar is optimistic about the impact the veteran winger can make.
“He’s feeling good, too,” Bednar said of Drouin on Monday. “I feel like the last little bit he’s really been ramping up, looks good in practice. So, it’s going to be nice to get him back. We’ve been without some of those top-six forwards for the whole season, I guess, and now we finally get him back. Should be a rested player, eager player, and we obviously know what he can provide to our team.”
– Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche Head Coach
In his first season with the Avalanche in 2023-24, Drouin set career highs across the board with 19 goals and 56 points in 69 games. His vision, creativity, and puck skills added a new dimension to an already potent Colorado attack.
Navigating Injuries
Drouin’s impending return is a step in the right direction for an Avalanche team that has been besieged by injuries all season long. Forwards Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Evan Rodrigues, and Darren Helm have all missed significant time, as have defensemen Bowen Byram, Josh Manson, and Samuel Girard.
- Man-games lost to injury in 2024-25: 227
- Number of Avs who have missed 10+ games due to injury: 9
For a roster with such high expectations entering the season, the injury bug has forced the Avalanche to rely heavily on their depth and young players to stay afloat in the playoff race. Sitting three points behind the final wild-card spot in the West, Colorado can ill afford to lose any more ground.
Reinforcements on the Way
While Drouin’s return is a welcome sight, the Avalanche are hoping it’s just the first domino to fall in terms of getting healthy bodies back in the lineup. Nichushkin (ankle) and Rodrigues (lower body) are both nearing a return, while captain Landeskog — who has yet to play this season following knee surgery — is targeting a late January comeback.
If Colorado can manage to weather the storm and hang around the playoff picture until reinforcements arrive, they could be poised for a second-half surge up the standings. With a returning core that includes a healthy Drouin, Landeskog, Nichushkin, and Rodrigues, the Avalanche boast the firepower to go toe-to-toe with any team in the league.
Drouin’s Winding Road
For Drouin, the opportunity in Colorado has served as something of a career renaissance. A top-three pick of Tampa Bay back in 2013, he struggled to find consistency over three seasons with the Lightning before being dealt to Montreal in 2017. His tenure with the Canadiens was marred by injury and inconsistency as well, culminating in his decision to leave the team for personal reasons during the 2020-21 season.
Since signing with the Avalanche as a free agent in the summer of 2023, however, Drouin seems to have rediscovered his game. Playing in a top-six role with skilled linemates and a coach who believes in him, the 29-year-old has flashed the tantalizing skill set that once made him the third overall pick.
“I feel like I’m in a really good place here — physically, mentally, on the ice, off the ice,” Drouin said. “I love coming to the rink every day, love being around the guys. When you feel that way and you’re having fun, the game slows down and you can just go out there and play.”
– Jonathan Drouin
Now, after another frustrating injury absence, Drouin is chomping at the bit to help Colorado get back in the playoff picture. For a proud Avalanche squad just 18 months removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup, the time is now to make a move in the standings — and Drouin figures to play a big role in that push.
