Previewing the Colorado Avalanche’s new-look third line of Drury, Colton, and Olofsson

The top six for the Colorado Avalanche has been a known quantity ever since Brock Nelson signed his three-year extension with the team over the summer. It provided stability to the revolving door of second-line centers that have been passing through since the departure of Nazem Kadri in the summer of 2022.

Now, focus shifts to the bottom six, particularly the third line. The importance of depth rests on their shoulders to be a support to the top two lines. With them, the momentum of a game can change for good or ill. It is imperative that they provide a strong foundation upon which the rest of the team can build.

Anchoring the line

When the Colorado Avalanche traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes, it was with the express purpose of having both high-end skill in Martin Necas and added depth in both the presence of Jack Drury and additional cap flexibility. Drury proved his value to the team immediately, providing high-end faceoff skill and defensive acumen throughout the remainder of the season and the playoffs. General manager Chris MacFarland referred to him as an elite fourth line center and leaned on them heavily.

This season, Drury has the opportunity to elevate his role on the team as the third line center. He will be expected to bring that sample level of defensive responsibility to his line while also being asked to elevate his offensive game. His main job will be to maintain a strong forecheck, drive play, and distribute the puck to his wingers. If he can successfully accomplish those goals, Drury will lock himself into that role for the Avs this season.

Producing on the wing

At the start of training camp, the two wingers expected to join Drury on the third line are Ross Colton and Victor Olofsson. Colton is a known quantity for the Avalanche who has had a jack-of-all-trades tenure with the team the past two seasons. He has spent time up and down the lineup, playing as both a center and a wing. That versatility has served the team well, but the hope is that he can settle into a more defined role this season. The team will be looking to him to help provide a scoring touch particularly from the tough areas of the ice. If Drury and Olofsson can get the puck to the front of the net, Colton will be positioned for a quick shot, tip, or rebound.

Victor Olofsson is the intriguing new addition to the Avalanche and their third line. There are a lot of questions surrounding his skills, but the biggest tool he brings is his elite shot. While Colton is an in-your-face type of winger, Olofsson is more of a sniper. He looks for soft spots in the defensive coverage to set up for his teammates to find him. He gets his shot off quickly, which leaves defenders and goalies little time to react. Paired with Drury and Colton, he should find himself in many situations with the chance to capitalize on their hard work in the offensive zone.

Lock down on defense

While the expectations are high for this new-look third line on offense, they cannot sacrifice their defensive game in the process. It will be imperative for them to be a smothering presence in their own zone, not giving the other team time to set up with and move the puck at will. Drury already showed that he can lead that type of line with the support of other strong defensive forwards. Now he needs to show that he can produce similar results with players who boast more of a two-way game. It will be a work in progress to begin with, but as they learn each other and settle into their roles, it should become more of a second nature to them.

The Colorado Avalanche should not have a problem scoring goals this season with all of the talent that they boast on the top two lines. However, the team will need their third line to support that group both on offense and defense. A line of Colton, Drury, and Olofsson is poised to do just that.