Junior hockey teammates Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon are set to reunite, as Drouin has signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, the club announced Saturday.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPN reports the contract is worth $825,000.
Drouin and MacKinnon spent two years together with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads, before the 2013 NHL Draft saw Drouin go to the Tampa Bay Lightning third-overall and MacKinnon tabbed by the Avs with the first-overall pick. That year also saw the pair win a QMJHL title and Memorial Cup together, with Drouin named league MVP for the campaign
A 2017 trade sent Drouin to the Montreal Canadiens, where he's played the past six seasons, amassing 186 points through 321 games. In total, the 28-year-old has collected 281 points in 285 NHL appearances.
The talented winger has endured a tumultuous past few seasons in Montreal, taking some much-needed time away from the game and then battling through injury issues upon returning. After spending time as a healthy scratch under Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis, it seemed a change of scenery may be the best path forward for Drouin once his contract with the team concluded.
Now, he'll begin a new chapter with former teammate MacKinnon, for an Avalanche team looking to return to the championship heights it reached in 2022.
col