Prior to Game 1 of the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series, one familiar face was noticeably absent from the ice.

Instead, Ross Colton sat in the press box — sharply dressed, a Rolex Submariner visible beneath his sleeve — watching from a place no player wants to occupy in late April.

There was a temptation to walk over and say hello, if only out of simple human courtesy, but a quick read of Colton’s body language suggested solitude was probably the kinder gesture. His expression carried the kind of quiet, steely intensity elite athletes often wear before defining moments. Not quite Michael Phelps before an Olympic final, but close enough for the comparison to feel warranted.

The difference, of course, was that this was not anticipation. It was frustration. Anger. Embarrassment, perhaps. The emotional weight that comes with being removed from the lineup when the stakes are at their highest and the calendar offers no room for sentiment.

Colton remained out for Game 2 as well. But after Colorado opened the series with consecutive wins at home, he was reinserted into the lineup once the series shifted on the road, and from that point forward, the 29-year-old played like a player determined to reestablish himself shift by shift.

Following practice on Thursday, Colton did not shy away from what he felt in the moment. He admitted he was “pissed off” when he came out of the lineup, though he also acknowledged that the message may have ultimately helped sharpen his game.

“Maybe it was good for me,” he stated. “A little kick in the ass. You come back in and play with a little bit of an edge. I feel like I play physical like that. So, just for me, every night, just find a way to make an impact. Get pucks behind their D, get bodies on guys.”

The Reset Behind The Message

That, ultimately, was the purpose behind Jared Bednar’s decision. It was less about punishment and more about urgency — a push to help Colton rediscover the pace, physicality, and disruptive energy that have long made him an effective middle-six forward.

To Colton’s credit, the season itself was never entirely straightforward. His production dipped compared to previous years, finishing with nine goals and 24 points in 73 games, numbers that fell below the standard he had previously set. Yet context matters. Just one season earlier, he missed time with a broken foot and still produced at a higher rate, while during his first full NHL season with the in 2021–22 — shortly after winning the Stanley Cup as a rookie — he recorded 22 goals and 39 points in 79 games.