Avalanche acquire RFA Colton from Lightning
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The Colorado Avalanche are acquiring pending restricted free agent forward Ross Colton from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, it was announced Wednesday.
Colton, 26, played in 81 games for the Lightning last season, where he tallied 16 goals and 32 points.
The Robbinsville, N.J. native was drafted in the fourth round (118th overall) of the 2016 entry draft and debuted with the team in the 2020-21 season.
Colton played last season under the final year of a two-year, $2.25 million contract.
After a down year in which he set career lows in goals per game (0.197) and plus/minus rating (-8), Colton will be given a chance to grow in a new setting.
In 190 career NHL games played, all with the Lightning, Colton has 47 goals and 83 points.
Avs stay busy
The Colton deal comes just one day after Colorado traded pending restricted free agent Alex Newhook to the Montreal Canadiens. Heading back to Colorado was defenceman Gianni Fairbrother and the 31st, as well as the 37th pick in Wednesday’s NHL Draft. Colorado later dealt that pick to the Lightning for Colton.
He was coming off a three-year, $4.475 million deal he signed with the Avalanche in March of 2021.
Newhook had 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points in 159 career regular season games with the Avs, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
The 22-year-old had 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points in 82 games this past season. He added one assist in seven playoff games.
Newhook was selected No. 16 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.
The Avs also acquired forward Ryan Johansen from the Nashville Predators over the weekend.