In the early hours of free agency, the Colorado Avalanche lost a hard-working journeyman winger who punched above his weight when Blake Comeau signed a three-year deal with the Dallas Stars. Then they essentially went out and replaced Comeau with a clone who is four years younger in Matt Calvert. (Do not weep for the Blue Jackets, though. They signed Riley Nash themselves to supplement their forward ranks.)
Like Comeau, Calvert is something of a Swiss Army knife. He plays a tenacious, energetic style and kill penalties, but he can also provide some offense. For a guy who’s not a very big player, he certainly isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice and into the corners to dig out pucks. He also has a very high hockey IQ and he can certainly make plays, not on a consistent basis, but he can make plays.
But the Avalanche are not getting Calvert for that, since they have plenty of firepower on their top two lines. Even though he’ll be able to move up and down the lineup if needed, Calvert projects as a bottom-six winger, likely playing with Carl Soderberg in the middle and Matt Nieto on the other side.
On the minus side, Calvert’s size and his style of play have conspired to limit his effectiveness. He has not been able to play a full seasons since he became a full-time NHL player five years ago. In fact, in the six seasons he’s been a full-time NHLer – including a pro-rated 82 game during the 2012-13 lockout year - Calvert has averaged only 65 games a season and has never played more than 73.
Calvert is going to one of the youngest teams in the NHL and he’ll likely be seen as a veteran figure in a very youthful dressing room. But he’s certainly not a greybeard by any stretch of the imagination, since he turns 29 in December. He’s not a player who will move the needle in a huge way, but will be an important cog for a team that is on the rise and, depending upon how bad the Ottawa Senators are next season, could be in line for the first pick overall and the prize that is Jack Hughes. But he will be a vital part of the Avalanche and will replace the grit and leadership void that was left by Comeau. And for only $400,000 more per season with a player who is four years younger, it’s a solid addition.