Life after the Colorado Avalanche has taken Ryan Lindgren, Charlie Coyle, and Juuso Parssinen in three very different hockey directions, offering fans fresh storylines to follow. Colorado Avalanche fans remember all three from last season, but their current paths show how careers can shift fast in the NHL once you leave Denver.
Lindgren landed in Colorado via a deadline trade from the New York Rangers, and he looked like the steadyman defenseman the Avalanche hoped would bolster their blue line. He played 18 regular-season games in burgundy and blue, scoring twice and adding an assist, then notched three assists in seven postseason outings against the Dallas Stars.
Where Lindgren, Coyle, and Parssinen stand now in their NHL careers.
Nestor Quixtan from Mile High Sticking writes that in the offseason, Lindgren chose security, signing a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken, and he's become a fixture on their second pair. He's not lighting up the scoresheet, but his steady minutes and defensive leverage are exactly why Seattle invested long term in him.
Charlie Coyle's time in Denver was shorter but impactful in a depth role. Acquired to solidify the middle six with veteran experience, he scored two goals and 13 points in 19 games and added one goal in the playoffs. Despite a respectable showing, cap considerations forced Colorado's hand, and Coyle landed in a cap-clearing deal that sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In Columbus, Coyle's been reliable, scoring five goals and 22 points in 36 games, a solid production clip for a veteran center tasked with supporting a young core. It's not a blockbuster storyline, but it's the kind of post-Avalanche fit that keeps a player relevant.
Juuso Parssinen's journey has been bumpier, though also intriguing. Originally part of that same trade that brought Lindgren to Denver, Parssinen was expected to grow into an NHL forward. Instead, after signing a two-year, $2.5 million contract with the New York Rangers, he struggled to stick in the lineup and eventually was sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL.
Parssinen still has upside as a middle-six option, but breaking into a veteran Rangers club hasn't been easy.
Fans watching Lindgren in Seattle appreciate his calm defensive reads, even if he's not a big point producer. Coyle's role in Columbus feels like a second life for a player who thrived on reliability and hard minutes. Parssinen might be the one with the most to prove, chasing consistency in the AHL with hopes of an NHL return.
All three cases show how players who once contributed in Colorado can find completely different places to make their mark in the league. For Avalanche Nation, it's part of the wider story of how a franchise refreshes itself yet still watches its alumni careers evolve.