The Colorado Avalanche have added some veteran depth to their forward group just before training camp gets underway. On Tuesday, the Avs announced that Tomas Tatar, 32, has agreed to a one-year contract with the club.
Tatar’s contract is worth $1.5 million, per CapFriendly, which means Colorado gets a solid middle-six winger who can provide value in all three zones. Last season, Tatar notched 20 goals and 28 assists in 82 games with the New Jersey Devils.
Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland released a statement on the signing and said the team is excited to add a proven veteran like Tatar for the 2023-24 season.
“Tomas has been a consistent, productive player throughout his NHL career,” MacFarland said in a statement. “He is a veteran winger who brings scoring depth to our middle six and can contribute at both ends of the ice. We are excited to have him under contract for this season.”
Tatar spent most of last year on Nico Hischier’s wing, and those two produced some fantastic five-on-five results. With Tatar on the ice in those situations, the Devils owned 62.8% of the expected goals and 68.5% of the expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. Tatar even earned a few Selke Trophy votes for his efforts.
Through 12 seasons, Tatar has earned a reputation as a strong two-way forward. In his 783 career games, Tatar has totaled 211 goals, 244 assists, and 455 points.
