Colton had 16 goals, 16 assist, 153 SOG, 50 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 81 games with Tampa Bay in 2022-23 and has signed a four-year, $16 million contract ($4,000,000 AAV) with Colorado. The 26-year-old centre was acquired for a 2023 second-round pick back in June and brings 47 goals and 83 points across 190 games played to the Avalanche.

Ludvig had three goals, 14 assists, 72 PIMs and a +18 plus/minus through 54 games with Charlotte (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers. The 22-year-old defensemen was Florida's 2019 third-round pick (69th overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut after three seasons in the AHL.

Mandolese was 1-2-0 with a 3.29 GAA and .916 SV% with Ottawa in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension ($775,000 AAV). The 22-year-old netminder was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2018 draft (157th overall) and made his NHL debut in 2022-23 after playing in both the AHL and ECHL in the same season.

Phillips finished fifth in AHL scoring with Calgary (AHL) in 2022-23 with 36 goals, 40 points, 12 PIMs and a +16 plus/minus through 66 games and has signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Washington Capitals. The 25-year-old right-winger was Calgary's sixth-round pick (166th overall) in 2016 and has played in three career NHL games, failing to pick up a point.

Holm was 18-11-4 with a .911 SV% and 2.67 GAA with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Colorado worth $775,000. The 24-year-old goaltender was Winnipeg's 2017 sixth-round pick (167th overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut since heading to North America from the SHL in 2021-22.

Wagner had 19 goals, 12 assists, 69 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 62 games with Providence (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. The 32-year-old veteran right-winger has 63 points (37G/26A) through 360 career NHL games played after being a fifth-round pick (122nd overall) in 2010 to Anaheim.

Ahcan had five goals, 31 assists, 24 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 68 games with Providence (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way deal worth $1,550,000 ($775,000 AAV) with Colorado. The 26-year-old undrafted defenseman did not play in the NHL last season but has a goal, 10 SOG, and a -6 plus/minus through nine career NHL games.

Cogliano had 10 goals, nine assists, 85 SOG, 44 PIMs and a +6 plus/minus through 79 game with Colorado in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year extension worth $825,000. The 36-year-old journeyman centre will enter his 17th NHL season and has 184 goals, and 445 points across 1219 career games played.

Drouin had two goals, 27 assists, 69 SOG, 18 PIMs and a -18 plus/minus through 58 games with Montreal in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal worth $825,000 with Colorado. The 28-year-old left-winger joins his third NHL team and is reacquainted with his old junior lineman in superstar Nathan MacKinnon. Through 485 career games played, he has 77 goals, 204 assists, and 94 power play points.

Wood had 13 goals, 14 assists, 167 SOG, 76 PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through through 76 game with New Jersey and has signed a six-year contract worth $15.0 million ($2.5M AAV) with Colorado. The 27-year-old left-winger leaves New Jersey after eight successful seasons which saw him score 78 goals and 148 points in 402 career games played.

Johnson spent the last 13 years in Colorado, but lands in Buffalo on a one-year deal, where he will help mentor some of their young defensemen like Owen Power. In 2023, Johnson had just eight assists, 102 blocked shots and 121 hits in 63 games with the Avalanche.

It looked as if Blackwood was going to hit the open market, but the Sharks were able get him under contract after acquiring his rights from the Devils. Blackwood has battled injuries over the last few seasons, most recently appearing in just 22 games in 2023, going 10-6-2 with a 3.20 GAA and .893 SV%.

Colton has been a solid middle-6 forward for the Lightning over the last two seasons, scoring 38 goals with 33 assists (71 points) while compiling 341 hits in 160 games. The Avalanche were in desperate need of bottom-6 help, with J.T. Compher, Lars Eller, Evan Rodrigues, Darren Helm, Matt Nieto and Andrew Cogliano all still unsigned and set to become UFAs on Saturday.

Blackwood's career got off to a strong start, going 32-24-8 with a 2.72 GAA and .916 SV% in his first two seasons (70 games). However, he's struggled more in the last three years, going 33-33-10 with a 3.19 GAA and .897 SV%. He fell behind Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid on the depth chart, so he heads to San Jose, where he'll likely share time with Kaapo Kahkonen.

Fairbrother was selected in the third round (No.77 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. Fairbrother last played with Laval (AHL) in 2022, picking up seven points (1G / 6A) in 25 games.

Aamodt had three goals, 15 assists, 39 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 52 games played with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension on Tuesday. The 25-year-old was signed as a free agent out of college in 2022 and will hope to grow off a strong first full AHL season.

Landeskog missed the entire 2022-23 regular season as he recovered from knee surgery and will now go back under the knife for a cartilage transplant in his right knee which will cause him to miss the 2023-24 season as well. It is a tough loss for the Avalanche as their captain has not played since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2022. The 30-year-old has 571 points (248G/323A) and a +77 plus/minus across 738 career NHL games played.

Drury has been out since Game 4 of round one due to an upper-body injury but is expected to return to Carolina's lineup for Game 1 of round two on Wednesday. Drury has yet to pick up a point in his four playoff games played this year, but has six SOG, 10 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus.