The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed forward Jonathan Drouin to a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season.
Drouin, 29, registered a career-high 56 points (19g/37a) in 79 games with the Avalanche in 2023-24, ranking fourth on the team in scoring. The winger’s regular season also saw him post a career-high in assists and time on ice per game (18:11), while his goal total marked the second-most he’s produced in a campaign. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound left wing finished the regular season with 48 points (16g/32a) with an average time on ice of 19:00 in his last 53 games after beginning the season with eight points (3g/5a) and averaging 14:30 of ice time in his first 26 contests. Within the stretch of his last 53 games, Drouin notched his first multi-goal game of the season - which included his 300th career NHL point - on Jan. 4 at Dallas. He also had a three-game goal streak from Jan. 2-6, matching his career-high and registered three points (2g/1a) including the overtime winner on March 24 vs. Pittsburgh.
After missing the first eight games of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs due to injury, Drouin skated in the Avs’ last three playoff games and tallied an assist in each of them. He recorded a career-high time on ice in Game 6 of the Second Round with 29:31.
Acquired as a free agent on July 1, 2023, Drouin spent the previous six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens where he recorded 186 points (48g/138a) in 321 regular-season games and added seven points (1g/6a) in 10 postseason games with the Canadiens in 2019-20. The winger’s tenure in Montreal included a 53-point season (2018-19) and two different 30-assist campaigns (2017-19).
Selected by Tampa Bay in the first round (third overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Drouin competed in 164 regular-season games and totaled 95 points (29g/66a) with the club, giving him a total of 337 points (96g/241a) over 564 regular-season contests in his career from 2014-24. He skated in his 500th career NHL game on Nov. 20 at Nashville, becoming the 18th player from the 2013 Draft Class to reach the milestone. In addition to his 2020 playoff run in Montreal, Drouin totaled 5g/9a in 23 playoff games with Tampa Bay from 2015-16 and carries a career 6g/18a scoring line in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Prior to turning pro, Drouin played three seasons for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2011-14, where he posted 242 points (77g/165a) in 128 career regular-season contests and added 102 points (34g/68a) in 50 career postseason outings. He was teammates with Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon for two of this three seasons with the Mooseheads (2011-13).
During the 2012-13 campaign, Drouin collected 105 points (41g/64a) in 49 games, ranking second in the league in points. He added a league-best 35 points and 23 assists in 17 postseason contests to take home the QMJHL’s playoff MVP and help Halifax capture the President’s Cup as league champions. Drouin also helped Halifax capture the Memorial Cup that spring, recording nine points (1g/8a) in four games and was named the CHL Player of the Year.
Internationally, Drouin has represented Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2013 and 2014. He served as an alternate captain in the 2014 tournament, recording nine points (3g/6a) in seven games to finish second on the team in points and tied for first in assists. The Ste-Agathe, Quebec native suited up for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, finishing with one point (1g) in three contests.
