The Colorado Avalanche saw something in Devon Toews while he played for New York Islanders and traded a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft on Oct. 12, 2020, for the defenseman. Toews signed a four-year contract 15 days later and led the Avalanche in ice time per game during the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs while skating next to Cale Makar.

That partership took Toews to the 4 Nations Face-Off with Makar, and Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon saying, "He's kind of like our Nicklas Lidstrom out there."

Though Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris Trophy winner, four-time Stanley Cup champion and gold medalist with Sweden at the 2006 Turin Olympics, is a lofty comparison, Toews and Makar formed arguably the best defense pair in the NHL. Toews helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2021-22, played 80 games the following season and signed a seven-year contract Oct. 13, 2023, that would begin with the 2024-25 season. At the time of the signing, Toews led the NHL with a plus-122 rating since joining Colorado, which was 139-45-16 (.735) in the regular season with him in the lineup.

Toews was passed over twice in the NHL Draft before being selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (No. 108) in 2014 after his freshman season at Quinnipiac University, where he played two more seasons before turning pro.

He was assigned to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League for the 2016-17 season and was selected to play in the AHL All-Star Classic, where he won the Fastest Skater competition. He was named to the All-Rookie Team after scoring 45 points (five goals, 40 assists) in 76 games.

Toews remained with Bridgeport for the start of 2017-18, but shoulder surgery in late December ended his season. He scored 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 30 games.

He began 2018-19 in the AHL for the third straight season but was called up by the Islanders on Dec. 19, 2018 and played his first NHL game four nights later against the Dallas Stars. He got his first NHL point on Jan. 3, 2019, when he scored in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Toews played the rest of the season in the NHL and helped the Islanders reach the Eastern Conference Second Round. He scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 48 regular-season games and five points (one goal, four assists) in eight playoff games.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• ECAC Second All-Star Team (2016)
• AHL All-Rookie Team (2017)
• Traded to Colorado by NY Islanders for a 2nd-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft and a 2nd-round pick in 2022 NHL Draft, October 12, 2020.