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The Colorado Avalanche has been the NHL’s best offense in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it might get a needed boost against the stingy Dallas Stars.
Jonathan Drouin skated in his normal spot with the first power-play unit Monday morning and could return to the Avs lineup in Game 4 against the Stars at Ball Arena.
“He’s a good player — really good player,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “We’ve missed them while he’s been out. He has the ability to move around our lineup and help with the skill portion of it, the skating portion of it. He’s become a really trusted defensive player for us. So he brings a lot to the table.”
Drouin was injured in the final game of the regular season April 18 against the Edmonton Oilers. He sustained a skate cut on his leg. The Avs ruled him out for at least the first round, then Bednar said the timeline was “four weeks or less” from the incident and hoped it would be less.
He’s been skating with the team for a few days in a baby blue practice kit but switched to the normal blue sweater reserved for PP1 (and captain Gabe Landeskog) on Monday. When asked about needing to be cautious about the wound reopening, Bednar replied, “He wouldn’t be playing if there was that possibility.”
Drouin signed with the Avs on a one-year contract in the offseason after a disappointing end to his six-year tenure with the Canadiens. He got off to a slow start with Colorado but eventually became an integral part of the club’s top-six forwards.
He had 19 goals and a career-best 56 points during the regular season.
“It would be a huge boost,” Avs defenseman Josh Manson said. “I mean, he’s a great player. He was great for us all year. I know in the playoffs he’s a hard-nose kind of guy and he will be stepping up and wanting to contribute. I’m excited if he can come back.”
The Avs have averaged a league-best 4.5 goals per game through their first eight Stanley Cup Playoffs contests. But it’s been a tougher slog against defense-minded Dallas than it was against Winnipeg, the league’s co-leaders in fewest goals allowed during the regular season.
Colorado has not led during game play in this series. The Avalanche has also not scored a goal in the first period and only beat Jake Oettinger once in a 4-1 loss in Game 3 here two nights ago.
Maybe the place where Drouin can make the most immediate impact is on the power play.
“Yeah, very smart player — high, high hockey IQ and very good vision … so he’s just a really good power-play player,” Avs forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think he’s always been.”
Colorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin (27) scores a goal against Nashville Predators goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) during the first period at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro (57) defends on the play. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
The Avs began the postseason white-hot with the extra man, including a 6-for-16 series against Winnipeg and then connecting on both opportunities to help storm back and take Game 1 from Dallas. But, as Bednar noted, the Stars have amped up the pressure on the PK over the past two games.
Colorado has gone 0 for 3 in both contests, which were both one-goal games into the final minutes (Dallas tacked on two late empty-netters in Game 3). Drouin typically plays in the middle or bumper spot of the Avalanche’s 1-3-1 alignment when he’s with the first power-play unit.
“Drouin’s really good at finding space, where you can use him and try to break pressure,” Bednar said. “That could be helpful for us against Dallas with the way they’re pressuring. He has the skill and ability to shoot or pass. Mixing it up can’t hurt.”
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