Ahead of the Jets series, Avalanche get absolutely brutal news

The Colorado Avalanche were dealt a brutal blow on Saturday morning ahead of their series with the Winnipeg Jets.

The team announced on social media that forward Jonathan Drouin will miss the entirety of Round 1 with a “lower-body injury.” Drouin tripped against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night in the second period and immediately left the game. He did not return, and now won’t play anytime soon.

Forward Jonathan Drouin will miss the first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets due to a lower-body injury.

— x – Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 20, 2024

It’s awful luck for Drouin who’s been one of the best stories of the season. The former No. 3 overall pick in 2013 seemed to find a home in Colorado and was comfortable on a line with his good friend Nathan MacKinnon as well as Mikko Rantanen.

Drouin had a career-high 56 points in the regular season, netting 19 goals and 37 assists. He played in 79 of the team’s 82 games.

Fluky injuries happen, but it’s even more of a blow it came in what was a meaningless contest. The Avalanche were locked into the No. 3 seed in the Central Division regardless, but due to how the schedule fell played their starters against the Oilers to stay fresh.

Forward Chris Wagner was called up from the Colorado Eagles and is a candidate to take Drouin’s spot in the lineup. Zach Parise could move into his slot on the top line.

Meanwhile, defenseman Devon Toews wasn’t spotted at practice on Saturday, but head coach Jared Bednar explained he and his wife welcomed a child on Friday. He’ll play in Game 1 on Sunday, while unfortunately Drouin watches while his teammates look to take an early lead in the series.