It was a disappointing finish to the season for the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche would fall within the first spherical to the Dallas Stars in seven video games. Now the Avalanche look in the direction of the offseason. They’ve a number of free brokers, together with Jonathan Drouin. If the Avalanche are unable to re-sign Drouin, we are going to take a look at the most effective three free agent locations for Drouin this offseason.
Jonathan Drouin joined the Avalanche for the 2023-24 season after turning into an unrestricted free agent. He skilled a profession resurgence in that season. For the primary time for the reason that 2018-19 season, Grouin performed over 60 video games. Additional, he scored 19 targets, the second highest of his profession, whereas including a profession excessive 37 assists. This gave him a profession excessive in factors with 56. Nonetheless, this previous 12 months was suffering from accidents as soon as once more. He performed in simply 43 video games, scoring 11 targets and including 26 assists.
In accordance with Cap Wages, the Avalanche are anticipated to have simply $6.955 million in cap area this offseason. With Brock Nelson additionally a free agent, and a number of must fill, the Avalanche could not carry Drouin again. With that, these are the three finest locations for Drouin this low season.
Drouin stays within the Western Convention
Jonathan Drouin may very well be a reasonable possibility for a staff seeking to assistance on their second line. Whereas Drouin did herald $2.5 million final season, he may very well be in line for the same payday, if not a small improve, as a result of latest harm considerations. The Vegas Golden Knights may use a reasonable, however high quality participant like Drouin, because the Golden Knights’ offense struggled within the playoffs. First, they’re projected to have simply $9.6 million in cap area. They do have just a few free brokers to resign, however the largest one is Reilly Smith, who may very well be changed by Drouin.
Second, Vegas may use some second-line assist. Tomas Hertl was third on the staff in factors, whereas Pavel Dorofeyev led the staff in targets. Nonetheless, the third ahead on the road was Nicolas Roy, who had simply 15 targets and 16 assists. Including Drouin to the road, who’s a strong passer, will give Hertl and Dorofeyev extra scoring choices. Additional, it could transfer Roy to the third line to pair with William Karlsson and Ivan Barbashev, giving the Golden Knights three strong traces of scoring choices.
Drouin helps a younger core
The Blackhawks may additionally use some additional assist on the ahead place. They scored simply 2.74 targets per sport this previous 12 months and will use one other weapon subsequent to Connor Bedard. First, Bedard has a strong 12 months for the Blackhawks, main the staff in assists and factors. He was joined on the highest line by Ryan Donato, who was the staff’s main aim scorer and second on the staff in factors. Donato is a free agent, however with $40.7 million in cap area, plus the chemistry he has developed with Bedard, the Blackhawks ought to be seeking to carry him again.
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Nonetheless, the third ahead on the road struggled. Ilay Mikheyev had simply 34 factors this 12 months. Changing him on the highest line with one other scoring risk can be massive for the continued development of Bedard and Donato. Jonathan Drouin has proven to be a productive participant and will slot in there. Additional, the Blackhawks may transfer Tyler Bertuzzi or Teuvo Teravainen to the highest line, putting Drouin on the second line. The Blackhawks’ prime energy play group was additionally extremely profitable this 12 months, however including one other piece to the second rotation may make them even higher.
Columbus comes calling for Drouin
The Columbus Blue Jackets are anticipated to be aggressive this offseason. The Blue Jackets are anticipated to have $42.9 million in cap area this offseason to work with. They do have some free brokers that they should resign, together with Ivan Provorov. Nonetheless, they want second second-line ahead this upcoming season, plus somebody who can influence the facility play.
With Sean Monahan, Kirill Marchenko, and Boone Jenner taking the highest line, Drouin may slot in with Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson on the second line. Whereas Johnson was strong this 12 months, with 57 factors, Drouin can be an improve on the opposite wing to James van Riemsdyk. He had simply 16 targets and 20 assists this 12 months, taking part in in 71 video games. That’s one much less level than Drouin in 28 extra video games.
Additional, Drouin has been strong on the facility play over the past two seasons. Over his final two years, he has 29 energy play factors, with 12 of them final 12 months in simply 43 video games. The Blue Jackets had simply 4 gamers with extra power-play factors than Drouin final 12 months. All of them performed collectively on the highest energy play unit. Columbus was twenty second within the NHL on the facility play, and Drouin would absolutely enhance that unit.