Jonathan Drouin’s path has taken another sharp turn, and this time he’s the one waiting around.
The former Canadiens forward remains unsigned as the NHL calendar moves on, a hard reality for a player who looked revitalized in Colorado not long ago. After leaving Montreal, Drouin found real traction with the Avalanche, skating with his close friend Nathan MacKinnon and putting together some of the best hockey of his career.
In 2023-24, he finished with 19 goals and 56 points. He followed that with 26 points in 43 games the next season, showing more confidence, more edge, and a version of himself that looked like he was actually enjoying the game again.
But instead of staying put, Drouin chose free agency. He passed on taking less money to remain in Colorado in 2025 and signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the New York Islanders.
That move did not pay off. The St.
Louis Blues acquired him this past March, but the 2025-26 season went poorly enough that St. Louis bought out the final year of his contract this summer and moved on.
Now 31, Drouin is one of several recognizable names still on the market. Patrik Laine, David Perron, James van Riemsdyk, and Vladimir Tarasenko also made it through the summer without landing new deals.
That’s what makes Drouin’s situation stand out. Not long ago, he was riding shotgun with MacKinnon on a loaded Avalanche team. Now he’s still looking for a phone call.
Canadiens fans know how rough things got for him in Montreal, which is why the Colorado rebound felt so meaningful. He had his confidence back, his game had some bite again, and he’d carved out a real role.
That doesn’t mean Montreal is suddenly an option, or even that it should be. But it does underline how quickly things can change in this league.
The Avalanche are scheduled to be at the Bell Centre on November 14.
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What makes this one stand out is the backdrop around his arrival, which has turned the Canadiens home date into more than just another test on the schedule. TVA Sports reporter Anthony Martineau noted the growing conversation around how Larkin might be received in Canada, and whether the atmosphere inside the building could end up mattering beyond one night at the rink. [Read more 🡒]