The Colorado Avalanche were knocked out of the 2025 NHL playoffs by the Dallas Stars in seven games. It was another tough end to the season for Avs fans. Since their Stanley Cup win in 2022, Colorado hasn’t made it past the second round of the playoffs.
While the Avalanche were active at the trade deadline, their first-round loss to Dallas could lead to significant changes this offseason, especially with several key players set to become unrestricted free agents in July. Here’s a look at five players who might not be back with the team next season.
Five Colorado Avalanche Players Who May Not Return Next Season
5. Jonathan Drouin
Jonathan Drouin has dealt with numerous injuries that have kept him out of the lineup this season. He missed 16 games right at the start and played in only 43 games for the Avalanche this season.
When healthy, though, he’s produced 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points. But with his one-year, $2.5 million deal set to expire in July, it’s unclear if the Avalanche will bring him back.
4. Erik Johnson
Erik Johnson returned to Colorado at the trade deadline for what felt like a swan song. He played just two playoff games before being replaced by Sam Malinski, which probably says a lot. Many fans and analysts expect him to retire this summer.
3. Joel Kiviranta
Joel Kiviranta has had moments of brilliance, but injuries and inconsistency have kept him from becoming a regular impact player.
Ironically, his career-best game came against the Avalanche — a hat trick in the 2020 playoffs that helped the Stars reach the Western Conference Final. Since then, he hasn’t lived up to that hype.
2. Ryan Lindgren
Lindgren came over from the New York Rangers to help solidify the blue line, but his time in Colorado didn’t go as planned. In Game 7, Mikko Rantanen beat him clean on two of his three goals.
Lindgren is expected to test free agency in July and could be a target for other teams. He may choose to move on rather than sign again with the Avs.
1. Brock Nelson
Brock Nelson exited the New York Islanders as the trade deadline was about to close in favor of Colorado. His form and production in the second-line center slot during the regular season seemed to justify his trade tag, and he helped the Avalanche finish third in the Central Division and secure a playoff berth for the eighth season in a row.
However, with the Avalanche’s playoff hopes coming to a premature end, there’s no way to tell what Nelson’s long-term plans are. Given his age, we might see another Brad Marchand-like situation, where the player and club fail to agree on a number.
We’ve also seen in the Rantanen saga that the Colorado front office is not afraid to cut players loose rather than be seen as backing down. While that decision has come back to haunt them spectacularly, they might just decide to let Nelson go in favor of a younger, long-term target.
