Jason Polin and Matt Stienburg return on one-year deals

Both forwards were restricted free agents.

Now is the time of year to tie up any loose ends before the new league year and free agency begins on July 1st. The Colorado Avalanche did just that getting two pieces of business done with one-year contract extensions on a pair of Restricted Free Agents who were due qualifying offers before the end of the month. Depth organizational forwards Jason Polin and Matt Stienburg held arbitration rights, so getting ahead of any such leverage is a benefit to the organization.

Polin played just 39 games with the Colorado Eagles in which he scored 19 points with 11 goals. This was an improvement on his 10 point 42 game season in 2023-24. Though he spent large parts of each year injured, the Avalanche still called him up for two games to serve as a depth fill-in. They are clearly comfortable calling on him to do the same next season. Polin gets a slight raise to $140k guaranteed from the $100k minor league salary he earned in 2024-25.

It’s always been complicated with Matt Stienburg and this year was no exception as he made his NHL debut and played eight games with the Avalanche, received a two-game suspension and then played just five games for the Colorado Eagles after getting injured in his first game back in the AHL. Stienburg brings a throwback style of grit and physicality even if he doesn’t have the largest frame and clearly the Avalanche were interested in seeing him back for one more season. It’s interesting to note that the organization quietly called Stienburg up to the NHL for the first two games of the Dallas Stars playoff series in order for him to serve that suspension so he should be free for a recall to the Avalanche next season.