Ross Colton is poised to command greater attention across the league next season.
At 28 years old, Colton remains under contract with the Colorado Avalanche through the 2026–27 season. He signed a four-year agreement just over two years ago, carrying an average annual value (AAV) of $4 million—a modest figure for a player whose ceiling has yet to be fully realized.
When placed in an optimal environment, Colton has demonstrated the potential to be one of the NHL’s most dynamic and consistently underrated forwards. His defining moment came as a rookie, when he etched his name into hockey history by delivering the championship-clinching goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final—a performance marked by exceptional poise and precision under pressure.