Adrian Dater
When looking at the stats of Paul Stastny this past season with the Winnipeg Jets, I was somewhat surprised. Twenty-one goals, 24 assists, 45 points, a plus-14. That is the most points he’s had since the 2015-16 season. So, should we all give more consideration to Stastny maybe returning to the Avalanche, in case Nazem Kadri leaves?
Paul Stastny will be…wait for it…37 years old in December. Man, wasn’t it just yesterday he was a kid with the University of Denver, then a member of the Avalanche soon after? Stastny has played with three teams since leaving the Avalanche in 2014: St. Louis, Vegas and Winnipeg.
He still hasn’t won the Stanley Cup he thought he might win elsewhere. The Jets didn’t even make the playoffs in 2022. But Stastny is coming off a good year. In addition to those scoring numbers, his faceoff winning percentage was 56.6. Here’s a pretty amazing stat: Stastny has never been below 50% on faceoffs in his entire 17-year career.
Paul Stastny is not a speed burner anymore though. He never really was. That’s what I’d worry most about with him coming to the Avalanche. Can he keep up out there?
Stastny made $3.75 million last season with the Jets. I would have to think he’d come in at something like $3 million on a one-year deal with Colorado. You also have to wonder why he hasn’t signed anywhere yet.
Is he waiting on the Kadri situation too, like some other players out there?
Stastny did not make Avalanche management happy when he left in 2014 for the Blues. The Avalanche offered him $6.6 million per year to come back as a UFA, but he chose a $7 million per deal with the Blues. Did that burn a bridge for good with the Avalanche?
I doubt it. It’s a business. Both sides can play hardball when they want. If the Avalanche are suddenly in need of a second-line center, you could do worse than Paul Stastny.
What say you Avs fandom?