The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed forward, Ross Colton to a four -year contract extension. Furthermore, the one-way contract carries an average annual value of $4 million.
Ross Colton has signed a 4-year, $16M contract with the Colorado Avalanche. ✍️ pic.twitter.com/mMtT6OpLJd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 17, 2023
Ross Colton Signs with Colorado
Colton joined the Lightning halfway through the 2020-21 season. In 2023, he scored 16 goals and added 16 assists for 32 points in 81 games. Colton established himself as a key special teams player this year. Nine of his 32 points came on the man advantage.
Throughout his young career, Colton has notched 47 goals and 83 points in 190 games. In 52 career playoff games, Colton has 10 goals and 19 points. Additionally, Colton has a clutch gene in the playoffs. He scored the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens. This was the game’s lone goal that won Tampa Bay their second Stanley Cup in two years.
Analyzing Colton On a Micro-Level
Corey Sznajder started a micro-stats tracking project called “All Three Zones” in 2016. He covers passing stats, zone entries, zone exits, transition stats, and much more. Moreover, this gives hockey fans analytical context on a player’s style and the strengths and weaknesses of their game. Colton does not have many weaknesses.
To start, Colton’s biggest strength is the offensive zone cycle. Colton is a player that meshes well with all different player archetypes. He can adjust his game accordingly no matter who his line-mates are.
Colton was in the 97th percentile of “Cycle & Forecheck Offence/60” in 2023. This number is captured based on the frequency of shots and passes off the cycle a player creates. Next, to establish the cycle and maintain possession, a strong forecheck must be implemented.
Colton has excellent forechecking metrics. He ranked in the 92nd percentile of “Pressures/60” and in the 85th percentile of “Recovered Dump-ins/60.” Colton played a massive role in Tampa Bay’s ability to maintain pressure on their opponents and cave them in.
Looking Ahead at Colton’s Future
At 26 years old, Colton brings youth to the Colorado Avalanche. As the team has a core led by Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen, Colton joins the fold and looks to help this team contend further. After landing him in a trade, locking him up for the next four years is great for both sides in their quest for another championship.
Main Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
