NHL News: Tomas Tatar Signs with Colorado Avalanche

As NHL Training Camps open the Colorado Avalanche have signed UFA forward Tomas Tatar to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.

Mar 8, 2022; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Tomas Tatar (90) shoots the puck against Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

As NHL training camps get underway, unrestricted free agent Tomas Tatar remained unsigned. Until today. The Colorado Avalanche announced they signed Tatar to a one-year deal.


Tatar’s deal carries an annual average value of $1.5 million which is excellent value for a player of his caliber.

There was a lot of speculation about where Tatar could end up. Some reports had him possibly signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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Others had him going to the New York Islanders because he changed agents, and the agent he changed to represented several Islanders players.

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Instead, Tatar heads out west to play for the Avalanche. Once he was spotted with former teammate Miles Wood on the ice at the Avalanche practice facility you knew something was up.


Tatar and Wood were teammates for the last couple of seasons with the New Jersey Devils. Wood signed a six-year contract with the Avalanche this past off-season.

Last season with the Devils, Tatar recorded 48 points (20 goals and 28 assists) in 82 games. The year prior in 76 games with the Devils he had 30 points (15 goals and 15 assists).

The Avalanche have made a sneaky good signing in mid-September. It is a low-risk, high-reward type deal.

Tatar is still a highly effective forward. He provides depth scoring to an Avalanche team that needs it. Not to mention he still averages 15-20 goals a season.


Tomas Tatar has chemistry with players like Wood and Jonathan Drouin. Drouin and Tatar were teammates in Montreal.

Again, where he fits in will be determined by the coaching staff. But last season with the Devils he played on the top line with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. The skillset is there to play alongside Nathan MacKinnon if Jared Bednar chooses to do so.

 

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