Noah Juulsen has spent most of his NHL career fighting for the kind of footing he finally has now.
The Colorado Avalanche defenseman, once taken in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens, has moved through injuries, roster changes and the constant grind of trying to hold onto an NHL job. At 29, he’s in a different place. The uncertainty that followed him for years has given way to something much more valuable: stability.
That matters even more now that Colorado’s blue line is being stretched thin.
Juulsen was selected 26th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, a pick that came with plenty of expectations. But his path since then has been anything but straightforward. Injuries and uneven chances turned the former top prospect into a journeyman, and the Avalanche are now his fifth NHL organization.
In a September interview with Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, Juulsen talked about how age and family changed the way he views his career. With a young daughter at home, the two-year contract he signed with Colorado brought a level of security he hadn’t always had.
For the Avalanche, he fit the role of a seasoned depth defenseman - someone dependable, experienced and ready when needed.
That need arrived fast. Josh Manson went down with an ankle injury in Colorado’s October 28 win over New Jersey, and coach Jared Bednar said Manson was expected to miss about eight weeks. Manson’s absence removes one of the team’s most physical defensemen and opens the door for Juulsen to take on a bigger role than originally planned.
He isn’t being asked to replace Manson piece for piece. The job is simpler, but no less important: stay steady, stay physical, make the right reads and help keep Colorado’s defensive structure intact at a time when the team is having trouble keeping the puck out of its net.
That’s the opportunity in front of him now. After years of bouncing around and trying to prove he belongs, Juulsen has a chance to show that the player he’s become is exactly what the Avalanche need.
In Other News...
Devon Toews Is Becoming A Bigger Avalanche Weapon Than Expected
Devon Toews has been one of the quieter reasons the Avalanche have stayed on track early this season, and his production has started to look a lot less quiet. He has 18 points in 19 games, and in the 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs he chipped in a goal and an assist while Colorado kept building momentum behind another strong night from Mackenzie Blackwood.
Jared Bednars decision to separate Toews and Cale Makar after Josh Mansons injury has given Toews a little more room to push offensively, and the results have shown up quickly. For a team that improved to 11-6-2 with the victory, the bigger question now is how much more of that added freedom the Avalanche can keep giving him as the schedule rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Sent A Loud Message In Toronto Behind A Familiar Star
Gabriel Landeskog gave Colorado exactly the kind of night that travels well, scoring twice and putting the Avalanche in front for good in a 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. The result pushed Colorado to 11-6-2 and showed a team getting offense from across the lineup, with Devon Toews, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas all factoring into the scoring surge.
For a club that has wanted more consistency early, this was the sort of statement win that can carry some weight. Toronto got goals from Darren Raddysh, Jack Roslovic and Easton Cowan, but the Avalanche kept answering and leaned on a familiar star to close the door, a reminder that when Landeskog is finishing chances and Colorado is rolling its depth, the ceiling looks a lot higher. [Read more 🡒]
Mackenzie Blackwood Gave The Avalanche Another Reason To Believe
Mackenzie Blackwood gave the Avalanche another reminder of why their confidence in him keeps growing, even on a night when he was not feeling close to 100 percent. The Colorado goaltender started against the Toronto Maple Leafs while battling a fever and cough, then turned aside 28 shots in a 6-3 win after waking up sick that morning and deciding he could still go.
For a team trying to stack points and build trust in its crease, that kind of performance matters beyond one box score. Blackwood has now gone 8-1-1 over his last 10 starts with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage, and the Avalanche have every reason to believe they are getting the kind of stability that can carry them through tougher stretches ahead. [Read more 🡒]