Colorado Avalanche: Pre-Coronavirus Player Look at Joonas Donskoi
Colorado Avalanche winger Joonas Donskoi has proven valuable because of his adaptability. Follow along in our coronavirus coverage of the players.
The Colorado Avalanche’s season is suspended, along with all other teams, at the behest of the NHL in response to COVID-19. However, coverage of the team here on Mile High Sticking won’t be suspended any more than it is in the thick of August when no hockey thing is happening.
To start off, we’re going to look at how individual players were doing before the suspension of the season. Up first for purely arbitrary reasons is winger Joonas Donskoi.
Brief History of Joonas Donskoi
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Right wing Joonas Donskoi is one of the free agency signing the Colorado Avalanche made on July 1 last summer. The 27-year-old Finn signed a four-year contract with an annual cap hit of $3.9 million.
Prior to this year, Donskoi spent his four years playing for the Sam Jose Sharks. Before that, he was playing in the elite league of his native Finland. He was drafted 99th overall in 2010 by the Florida Panthers.
Joonas Donskoi Stats with the Colorado Avalanche
Joonas Donskoi was the first player Colorado signed on Free Agency Day. With the Sharks, Donskoi played 283 games. He recorded 45 goals and 77 assists for 122 points. His career year was the last with the Sharks, when he recorded 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 80 games.
This season, Donskoi has played only 65 games because of injuries. In those games, he has 33 points. However, he’s had a career-best in goals — 16.
Evaluation of Joonas Donskoi with the Avalanche
Joonas Donskoi has suffered from injuries this season. Indeed, he keeps getting concussed by New York Rangers players. On January 7, Ryan Lindgren hit him in the head so hard he was left looking woozy. In the last game, Brendan Lemieux hit him with an elbow in the head, which put Donskoi into concussion protocol.
That’s not the sum total of Donskoi with the Avalanche. He has been a valuable member of the team. He started out as a third-liner. However, he quickly worked his way up to the second line and has even served on the first line when injuries have struck.
Donskoi’s style has fit in well with the Avs. He can skate, and he has a strong work ethic. I don’t know that I would necessarily call him a leader on the team, but he’s definitely an important part of the dressing room.
He even scored the game-winner against his former team, the Sharks:
Joonas Donskoi is a versatile player whom the Colorado Avalanche have utilized to good effect.
Next. Donskoi's 1st Career Hat Trick. dark
The Colorado Avalanche, and the entire NHL, season is in doubt. But coverage here at Mile High Sticking is not. Anyway, what do you think of Joonas Donskoi’s contributions to the team?