Colorado Avalanche forward Ross Colton gets an “A” for effort, no matter what his statistics were for the last month or so.

The 29-year-old forward struggled to get on the scoresheet in December, posting just two points in 14 games. Shuffling positions and linemates contributed to his slump.

READ MORE: Colorado Avalanche excited to play in 2027 Winter Classic

He shifted to the center position with Victor Olofsson and Gavin Brindley on the third line for a few games. He was back on the wing with Jack Drury and Olofsson for the final games of the month.

“Feel like I’m playing well. I feel like part of it’s how you’re deployed, the minutes you’re getting. Long stretch there, we weren’t playing a lot, so it’s hard to do stuff when you’re playing less than 10 minutes,” Colton said. “We were doing everything that we could, playing the right way, doing little things right.”

The Robbinsville, New Jersey native’s versatility has proven that he can play on any line with any player. He moved to the second line with Valeri Nichushkin and Brock Nelson against the Ottawa Senators, where he earned his first three-point game of the season.

“It’s important that we get Colts (Colton) firing on all cylinders, which is why I bumped him up today and made the change from the Tampa game,” head coach Jared Bednar said after the 8-2 win over the Sens.

When things are not going right, change is always an option. For Colton, it was a familiar move to a line he played on before that sparked his engine. He had a point in the 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“When I played with those guys earlier in the year, we were playing really well. The last two games, just jumped right back into it and felt comfortable with them,” Colton said. “They’re easy to play with. They have skill. They play the right way in the D-zone and stuff like that. So again, I don’t really care who I’m playing with. I just want to get the opportunity and do the best I can with it.”

READ MORE: Why Parker Kelly is a proven asset to the Colorado Avalanche

Bednar referred to Colton as a “streaky” player but said almost every player has those stints. His success vs the Sens was important to boost his confidence.

“He’s a little bit of a streaky guy. We have a handful of guys like that that have been cold for a little bit,” Bednar said. “We’ve noticed in the past, from experience with those guys over the last few years, that when they start getting a little confidence and getting some production, it makes them feel good.”

It has not been a lack of effort or change in attitude for Colton’s lull. But it has helped his energy to get on the scoresheet for the first time in a while.

“I’m a positive guy. I come to the rink, and I have a smile on my face every day,” Colton said. “We got the best job in the world. Just enjoy it while I can. I try and do stuff before practice, after practice, do extra work to show that I care. Just try and get better every day.”