UFA winger Miles Wood is heading to the Colorado Avalanche, and per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it’s a six-year deal earning him $2.5MM per season.
It’s a larger commitment than most would’ve expected for Wood – especially for a player who saw his advanced and counting stats dip the season after a major injury. But Colorado is in desperate need of bottom six pieces, and Wood brings an attractive snarl to a team lacking much identity outside of its top two lines.
Wood notched 27 points in 76 games in 2022-23, a slight decrease from his normal pace, but he also saw a decrease in role thanks to some fortified depth on the Devils’ part. He should creep back up into a top-nine spot with Colorado, potentially revitalizing some of his point production.
Defensively, it really wasn’t pretty for Wood last season, a change from past years. He essentially canceled out the excellent shutdown play of linemate Nathan Bastian, bringing the Devils’ fourth line of Bastian, Wood, and Michael McLeod to a net even in terms of chances generated and chances against.
Colorado hopes some additional recovery time from the hip injury that kept him out for nearly all of 2021-22, plus a change in scenery can reboot his all-around game. Still, six years is a risky gamble in this situation.
I really like what the Avs have done so far.
Six year deal? Curious to see these number$ and why they locked him up that long term.
My God someone gave Wood 6 years!!?? They know he’s a one dimensional penalty machine right?