The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club has made multiple transactions today. The team announced today that it had acquired Colin Wilson from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Avs also signed goaltender Jonathan Bernier to a one-year contract for the 2017-18 season, signed forward Andrew Agozzino and defenseman David Warsofsky to two-year contracts through the 2018-19 season and inked goaltender Joe Cannata to a one-year deal for the 2017-18 campaign.
Wilson, 27, has spent his entire career with Nashville after being selected seventh overall in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in 70 regular-season games for the Predators this past season, tallying 35 points (12g/23a) with a +7 plus/minus rating. He also dressed in 14 playoff contests for Nashville, notching four points (2g/2a).
The Greenwich, Connecticut, native has recorded 237 points (95g/142a) in 502 NHL games. He has also skated in 47 career postseason contests, notching 24 points (13g/11a).
“Colin brings experience and depth to our lineup,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic. “He’s a two-way player who plays a strong game and is a good pro.”
Prior to his professional career, Wilson played two seasons at Boston University, where he was named to the 2009 Frozen Four All-Tournament Team after helping BU win the national championship as a sophomore. The 6-foot-1, 221-pound center was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2007-08 and then selected to the Hockey East First All-Star Team and NCAA East First All-Star Team in 2008-09.
Internationally, Wilson represented Team USA at the 2009 IIHF World Championship, two world junior championships (2008-09) and a pair of under-18 world championships (2006-07). He won a gold medal with the United States at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and a silver at the 2007 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
Bernier, 28, appeared in 39 games for the Anaheim Ducks this past season, posting a 21-7-4 record with a 2.50 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. The Laval, Quebec, native compiled a 12-1-2 record over his final 15 starts, with his 12 wins leading all NHL netminders from March 1 until the end of the season. Bernier was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for March 6-12 after going 3-0-0 with one shutout, a 1.62 GAA and .948 SV% in three games. He had a career-high scoreless streak of 125:41 during that stretch from March 7-12. The 6-foot, 184-pound goaltender went on to appear in four playoff contests for the Ducks, including one start (1-2-0, 3.28 GAA).
“Jonathan is a proven NHL netminder who brings experience to our goaltending position,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic. “He is coming off a strong season with the Ducks, and we look forward to having him and Semyon Varlamov as our goalie tandem this season.”
Selected by Los Angeles with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2006 Entry Draft, Bernier has fashioned a 109-95-27 career record with a 2.65 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and 14 shutouts in 252 NHL games. He won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2011-12, serving as the backup to Jonathan Quick. Bernier made his NHL debut with the Kings in 2007-08 and spent his first five seasons in Los Angeles before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013-14, when he won a career-high 26 games (26-19-7). After three seasons with the Leafs, Bernier was acquired by the Ducks on July 8, 2016.
In 2009-10, Bernier won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Award as the American Hockey League’s outstanding goaltender with the Manchester Monarchs. He was also named to the AHL First All-Star Team that year. Prior to turning pro, Bernier was selected to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team and Canadian Major Junior Second All-Star Team with the Lewiston MAINEiacs in 2006-07.
At the international level, Bernier represented Team Canada at 2011 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia and won a gold medal for his country at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. He also competed for his nation at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Sweden.
This will be the second stint with the Avalanche for Agozzino. The 26-year-old was with the organization from 2012-16, collecting 194 points (79g/115a) in 266 combined games with the club’s American Hockey League affiliates, the then-Lake Erie Monsters and the San Antonio Rampage. He spent the 2016-17 campaign with the Chicago Wolves, finishing with 54 points (18g/36a) in 71 outings.
Agozzino made his NHL debut with the Avalanche on Nov. 22, 2014, against the Carolina Hurricanes and picked up an assist. He has skated in 10 NHL games with Colorado, registering three assists.
An undrafted free agent, the 5-foot-10, 187-pound left wing signed with the Monsters for the 2012-13 campaign, and after recording 52 points (20g/32a) in 76 games, earned a contract with Colorado in March 2013. He was named a starter for the Western Conference at the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic.
A Kleinburg, Ontario, native, Agozzino played five seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara IceDogs from 2007-12. He served as captain for three campaigns (2009-12) and totaled 306 points (159g/147a) in 318 career OHL contests, all with Niagara.
Cannata, 27, spent most of the 2016-17 season with the Hershey Bears (AHL) before being acquired by the Avalanche on March 1. He was 11-5-3 in 22 games with Hershey, posting a 3.22 goals against average and a .876 save percentage, and in six contests with the San Antonio Rampage, went 2-3-0 with a 3.60 goals against average and a .872 save percentage.
Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round (173rd overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Cannata has a 54-41-8 record in 116 career AHL games, posting a 2.75 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. A Wakefield, Mass. native, he played four seasons at Merrimack College from 2008-12.
Warsofsky, 27, spent the majority of the 2016-17 campaign with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he led all team defensemen with 47 points (16g/31a) in 58 contests, all career highs. He also skated in seven games with Pittsburgh, notching one assist. A fourth-round pick (95th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2008 NHL Draft, Warsofsky has skated in 39 career NHL games with Boston, Pittsburgh and New Jersey, tallying six points (2g/4a). The Marshfield, Mass., native has totaled 148 points (36g/112a) in 305 AHL contests with the Providence Bruins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The 5-foot-9, 170-pound blueliner played three seasons at Boston University from 2008-11, accumulating 68 points (22g/46a) in 113 outings. He served as an alternate captain as a junior during the 2010-11 campaign and was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team.
Internationally, Warsofsky was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at the 2010 World Junior Championship and represented his nation at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.
