Avalanche Sign Ross Colton to Four-Year Extension

One of the top RFAs is off the board. 

The Colorado Avalanche avoided arbitration with one of their promising newcomers, agreeing to terms with forward Ross Colton on a four-year contract extension on Monday. The team didn't announce contract details, but it's reportedly worth an average annual value of $4 million. 

The deal ties Colton to Colorado through the 2026-27 season and ensures that he will hit unrestricted free agency upon expiry. The Avalanche acquired Colton for a second-round pick during this year's NHL draft.

After a successful tenure in Tampa Bay that featured back-to-back Stanley Cups, Colton now joins an Avalanche roster that presents a real shot for him to compete for the club's second-line center role. 

The 26-year-old will almost certainly see more ice time than the 12:21 per game he averaged for the Lightning last season. That extra runway could very well see Colton build on the 16 goals and 32 points he racked up in 2022-23, which came in slightly below his 22 goals and 39 points from the year prior. 

Not to mention, Colton brings positional versatility to the table that the Avalanche desperately need, having proven capable of playing both center and the wing, killing penalties, and winning 52.1 percent of his faceoffs over his three-year career. 

Starting more than half of his shifts in the defensive zone last season, Colton can also handle difficult matchups and gives the Avalanche yet another Swiss Army knife to place in their arsenal.