Analyzing The Avalanche's Free-Agent Day Moves

Can Jonathan Drouin be a top-six forward again?

The bigger-name player cost a lot less money than the lesser-name player. That’s one of the takeaways of Avalanche Free Agency, Day 1.

There was a time when Jonathan Drouin was a BIG name in hockey. Anyone who read my stories from the summer of 2013 knows that. Nathan MacKinnon was the guy expected to go first overall in that NHL draft, and he did. But there were some who thought Drouin might actually turn out to be the best player from that draft when all was said and done. That has not happened and almost surely never will.

I love comeback stories, though, so I like the one-year, $825,000 free-agent signing of Drouin, who went third overall in the 2013 draft, two spots behind Halifax Mooseheads teammate MacKinnon.

Buy low, sell high. The first rule in business. This signing reminds me of the Nail Yakupov signing a few years ago. A guy who went in the top three (first overall for Yak actually) who signed a one-year deal for short money with the Avs.

That didn’t work out so great.

But I think Drouin has proven himself more than Yak, at least. He’s had some pretty decent scoring years in his career (two years of 50 points or more, 46 another year), and no one denies he has serious talent when he has the puck on his stick. He’s a really good passer. He had 27 assists in 58 games for the Montreal Canadiens this past season. That’s the good news.