In 2023-24, Jonathan Drouin joined the Avalanche on a one-year contract and made quite an impact in his first season with the team. In 79 regular-season games, he posted career highs in assists (37) and points (56), in addition 19 goals, which was two shy of his career-best mark of 21.

Entering the 2024 off-season, Drouin was an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team in the league, but he chose to stay in Colorado, saying that he enjoyed his first year and that he loves the guys in the room as well as the staff.

“I didn’t want to go anywhere else,” Drouin said. “I really enjoyed my year like I said. [I’m] just happy we could find a deal that made me come back for one more year. Like I said, my family loves it as well. It’s a great spot to play and live and I’m very happy to be back.”

Drouin said he found his game midway through last season, and his offensive numbers reflect that. Through the first 39 games of the 2023-24 regular season, Drouin registered 21 points (9g/12a) and had a significant increase in production in the last 40 games, posting 35 points (10g/25a). However, he doesn’t have any statistical expectations for himself for the upcoming season.

“Just to get better every day,” Drouin said. “I know it’s a cliche, but kind of build on what I did at the end of last year.”

Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar saw Drouin’s dedication to growing his game.

“We saw major improvements in his game almost immediately last year,” Bednar said. “Especially on the defending side of it and just how much we trusted him as a player and it led to great offensive numbers, especially the second half of the season.”

Heading into the 2024-25 season, Bednar has high expectations for Drouin.

“If he can play like that for the second half of the season,” Bednar said, “I don’t see why he can’t come back this year and pick up where he left off and continue for a full season and put up career numbers again.”