Colorado Avalanche sign Alex Galchenyuk to one-year contract

The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Alex Galchenyuk to a one-year contract, the club announced Monday.

Galchenyuk, 28, attended Colorado’s 2022 training camp on a professional tryout but suffered an injury. Upon returning to full health, he reported to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles and recorded seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven games.

Per Chris Johnston, Galchenyuk’s deal with the Avalanche carries a $750,000 NHL cap hit.

Galchenyuk spent the 2021–22 season with the Arizona Coyotes, scoring six goals and 21 points in 60 games. He had previously also played the 2018–19 season in Arizona.

The Montreal Canadiens originally selected Galchenyuk with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. The 6’1″, 194-pound forward debuted with the Habs in 2012–13 and emerged as a 30-goal scorer with the club in 2015–16.

Galchenyuk spent the first six seasons of his career in Montreal before being traded to the Coyotes for Max Domi in 2018. He lasted just one year in the desert, scoring 41 points in 72 games, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the deal that brought Phil Kessel to Arizona.

After just 45 games in Pittsburgh, Galchenyuk moved on to play briefly for the Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs before rejoining the Coyotes last season. In 643 career NHL games over parts of 10 regular seasons, the Milwaukee, WI product has scored 146 goals and 354 points.

Galchenyuk has also appeared in 38 career playoff games, recording five goals and 17 points. The defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche certainly hope he’ll help them return to the playoffs, as they currently rank third in the Central Division with a 12–6–1 record and 25 points through 19 games.