Colorado Avalanche 2025-26 Player Grades: Ross Colton

The Colorado Avalanche will have a busy offseason trying to address their needs and navigate the challenges that come with paying a lot of high-end talent. Sometimes, that means losing talent lower in the lineup and having to find solutions elsewhere.

In the meantime, we will take a look back at the 2025-26 season and hand out player grades. Today’s subject is perhaps one of the streakiest players the Avalanche have had in some time, a forward who flashes brilliance only to disappear in stretches: Ross Colton.

Production

When the Avalanche initially acquired him, it felt like they had a hidden gem on their hands. So, when he registered a career-high 40 points in his first full season in Denver, it felt like Colton would achieve bigger and better. As the 2025-26 season showed, that never really wound up being the case.

Colton slid down to just nine goals and 24 points in 73 games with the Avalanche. Though he remained largely healthy, Colton disappeared for long stretches. A drop from 14:25 of ice time per game to 12:31 shows that maybe head coach Jared Bednar was losing patience with him.

Intangibles

What Colton lacks at times offensively, he makes up for with his speed and defensive reliability. His willingness to go to the dirty areas despite not being the biggest player on the ice shows the kind of heart he can bring to a team.

His versatility – being able to play a larger role when pressed into duty and his willingness to kill penalties – is valuable as well. Though Colton’s offense dried up, he wasn’t completely lost thanks to his 200-foot game and motor.

Overall Grade: C-

In a season in which the Avalanche dominated almost from start to finish, Colton felt like a guy on the chopping block. Whenever the possibility of a big trade came up, Colton’s name was often talked about as a potential piece that could move to free up cap space.

In the final season of a four-year, $16 million pact, Colton always felt like a prime candidate to be moved, and it finally happened. He was a guy that felt like he could be more and flashed that potential in fits and bursts. Colton had value in Colorado but it never felt like it was 100% the right fit.

A Fresh Start

Colton’s tenure officially came to an end thanks to a trade to the Nashville Predators, where Colton will join his former General Manager Chris MacFarland. He should benefit from having a larger role as he has the speed and skill to play a more prominent middle six role.

At times, it appeared as though the Avalanche had a speedy forward with the capacity to be more than he was. His hot start to the 2024-25 season felt like a breakout but he cooled off and never really seemed to find his game at the same level. Hopefully, he can find that level once again in a new home.