It’s a little surprising the 31-year-old defenseman is still waiting for work.
A steady presence for nine NHL seasons — the first eight in Boston, then last year with Pittsburgh — Matt Grzelcyk has averaged more than 18 minutes a night across 527 career games. In fact, he spent a career-high 20:37 on the ice last season for the Penguins.
That wasn’t the only high watermark of Grzelcyk’s season in Pittsburgh. He scored just one goal but set new career bests with 39 assists and 40 points, 15 of them coming on the power play.
He’s not flashy, but he’s the kind of reliable third-pairing option every contender loves to have — a puck mover with a left-handed shot who can tilt the ice in subtle ways. When healthy, he posts strong transition numbers and remains a capable penalty killer.
For the Colorado Avalanche, that profile would fit nicely.
Colorado Could Boost Cup Hopes With Signing of Matt Grzelcyk
The money piece, at least in theory, works. With winger Logan O’Connor expected to miss 5–6 months following hip surgery, the Avalanche could stash him on long-term injured reserve. That maneuver would open up the necessary cap space to sign Grzelcyk to a one-year deal in the same neighborhood as the $2.75 million he earned in Pittsburgh last season.
It’s not a splash, but it’s the kind of sensible roster management you’d expect from a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
And just look at the ripple effect when Colorado made its most recent addition. Victor Olofsson wasn’t a need, but the reaction around the league was universal: how the heck did the Avalanche add that guy, too? Another weapon on a team already stacked to the brim.
The same logic applies here. If Colorado scooped up Grzelcyk, the NHL would shrug, roll its eyes, and mutter the same thing: of course the Avs got him. Of course they just got deeper.
Because make no mistake, the Avs do have an opening for him. Beyond Devon Toews and Samuel Girard, the left side of their defense thins quickly. Josh Manson is better suited on the right, and depth pieces like Caleb Jones and Keaton Middleton aren’t proven enough to shoulder playoff minutes.
Adding Matt Grzelcyk Would Further Widen the Gap for Colorado
Grzelcyk’s addition would give Colorado the kind of insurance they lack when inevitable injuries hit. He wouldn’t need to be a star, just a steadying presence who can eat minutes, move pucks, and avoid costly mistakes.
Plenty of teams have been mentioned as possible landing spots for Grzelcyk — the Florida Panthers, the New York Islanders, the Calgary Flames. But Colorado has the cap solution sitting right in front of them, courtesy of O’Connor’s potential LTIR designation. They also have the perfect situation for Grzelcyk to slide in and benefit from the bevy of talent already in place.
Colorado doesn’t need Matt Grzelcyk. That’s what makes the idea so potent. They’re already good enough to win it all. But if Joe Sakic and Chris MacFarland want to widen the gap between the Avalanche and everyone chasing them, signing Grzelcyk would be exactly the kind of surgical addition that leaves the rest of the league shaking their heads and saying, “Yep. They did it again.”
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