Colorado Avalanche: The Future of John Mitchell

Colorado Avalanche center John Mitchell is unlikely to be with the team next season. What’s the future for this team-first player?

To say Colorado Avalanche center John Mitchell has had a disappointing season would be an understatement. He has two goals and three assists in 62 games. That’s the lowest point total of any forward playing more than 10 games and second only to defenseman Cody Goloubef for players that have played more than 30 games.

Needless to say, this is the worst season of John Mitchell’s career. Those numbers are surely a large part of the reason the team put him on waivers back in November, though GM Joe Sakic said at the time it was more about salary cap flexibility.

That’s a long way from what was going on back in March of 2014. Mitchell was enjoying a career season that would see him earn a career-high 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists). He was the team’s prime third-line center. Colorado rewarded Mitchell with a contract extension worth $5.4 million over three years.

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Said contract extension is up this summer, and it’s a pretty good bet the Colorado Avalanche aren’t going to keep the center around, even at a steep discount. The team wants to get younger, and Mitchell is 32 now. Plus, you know, five points in 62 games isn’t exactly inspiring.

For the Colorado Avalanche, he has played an ideal third-line center role. He has been really good on the faceoffs — this year he’s winning 55% of the time. He blocks shots, lays hits, and takes the puck away more often than he gives it away (+11 turnover ratio).

What’s more, Mitchell has been a team guy, the kind of player who goes in and defends teammates no matter what. For example, remember when he took on the behemoth,

Dustin Byfuglien

, after the Winnipeg Jets defenseman smashed

Tyson Barrie

Plus he wrestled with Minnesota Wild defenseman

Tom Gilbert

back in 2013, which is always satisfying for Avs fans:

Mitchell has also been an ideal veteran presence for the Colorado Avalanche. He’s always been just a few years older than the young pups, so not as far removed as guys who were already in their 30’s when the likes of Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon were so much younger.

However, grit, heart and leadership were team qualities of the previous culture. Now the team is all about youth, speed and skill. And John Mitchell doesn’t have those qualities.

So, what’s the 32-year-old center going to do?

As longtime Avalanche beat writer Adrian Dater pointed out, Mitchell has these few games left to prove he’s still NHL-worthy. Mitchell himself knows the reality of the situation. He’s talked about how “some guys have contracts and some guys don’t , so you’ve got to put it all on the line.”

Players of Mitchell’s ilk have made teams based on Paid Tryouts, even with the Colorado Avalanche. To be honest, that’s probably what Mitchell can expect for next season — and at something of a discount.

Next: Blown Call Raises Questions

The hope (at least for me because he really was a stand-up guy for the Avs) is that he can find another team that values grit, heart and leadership.