Colorado Avalanche sign Matt Calvert for three years

The Colorado Avalanche have agreed to a contract with free agent winger Matt Calvert. The deal will be for three years. The former Columbus Blue Jackets grinder will be 29 in December and is coming off a three-year contract that paid him $2.8 million per year.

A quick look at Calvert statistics shows that he is a player who is good for 23-24 points a years, but struggles to make it a full season without getting injured.

For those who don’t watch the Columbus Blue Jackets on a regular basis, Alison Lukan of The Athletic who has covered Calvert for years has described him as a “gritty player who is incredible on the penalty kill. A 3rd/4th liner. You can expect 10-12 goals but with the way he plays, he can battle injury. Good for 60-65 games/season.”

Selected in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, Calvert leaves the only NHL organization he has ever known. Not flashy or overly impactful on the score sheet, Calvert was a fan favorite for amny in Columbus.

Calvert bring more than 400 NHL games to an NHL lineup that will continue to be one of the youngest in the league next season.

Hockeydb.com

So if counting stat’s aren’t his forte, what can Calvert actually do? Well, going back to my conversation with Alison, he’s an “elite penalty killer” who plays really hard (which is why he can only play 65 games).

Since Calvert will fill the same role, this almost certainly means the end of Blake Comeau in an Avalanche jersey. Calvert is a younger replacement that can play a little faster.