Dennis Gilbert signs one-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche completed one final piece of offseason business by signing depth defenseman Dennis Gilbert to a one-year two-way contract extension. Gilbert had filed for arbitration with an August 21st hearing date rapidly approaching but the two parties finally settled. Barring any surprise last minute signing this could finalize the 2021-22 organizational roster at 44 contracts with just over a month remaining before training camp is expected to commence.

First reported by Elliotte Friedman that Gilbert’s new contract is worth $750k at the NHL level and $160k in the minors. This is a modest raise in minor league pay but sacrifices the ceiling for NHL pay for the 24-year old who was a restricted free agent coming off his just concluded Entry Level Contract. Gilbert should have two more RFA years left after the coming season should the Avalanche qualify him next summer.

Gilbert was brought to the Avalanche last fall when he was part of the return package which sent Nikita Zadorov to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Saad. Gilbert only appeared in three games for the Avalanche and was most remembered for breaking his face in a fight with Vegas Golden Knights’ Keegan Kolesar. He had surgery and recovered but spent the rest of the season with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL where he put up eight points in 17 games and played a defensive shot-blocking type of role. Gilbert will once again likely fill that type of depth position for the organization.