Injury news for the Colorado Avalanche as winger Jonathan Drouin will be out for the first round. Elliotte Friedman reported the news ahead of the Avs kicking-off the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs tomorrow against the Winnipeg Jets. The injury is being reported as a lower-body injury at this time. As with much of the injury news this time of year, details at this time are limited. Given that he will miss the first round, that itself is big news. This could potentially be big news also given the role Drouin plays with the club. Drouin had exited Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers after an awkward fall into the boards in the second period.
Colorado Avalanche Jonathan Drouin Out with a Lower-Body Injury
In the NHL regular season, Drouin posted a career-high in points in 2023-24. Furthermore, this was all the while playing on the Avs top line. He played a lot of the season alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. According to moneypuck, when the trio was out together, they posted an xGoals% of 57.3. Among the club’s four offensive lines that saw 150+ minutes, they led the team. Drouin saw a resurgence in his career this year, and would love to get back in the action as soon as possible.
What Does this Mean for the Colorado Avalanche
The good thing for the Avalanche is they are accustomed to having their lines in a blender. Nathan MacKinnon finished second in the NHL with 140 points. Also, Rantanen had his second consecutive 100 point season. Therefore, their top offensive players should be able to find a way to generate. In contrast, Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets will have something to say about that. They are coming fresh off being crowned the William Jennings award winners for 2023-24 for best GAA in the regular season. If anyone can slow down the Avs, and given this alteration to their offensive attack, it might just be the Jets.
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