Avalanche's Drouin out for 1st round with lower-body injury

Colorado Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin will miss the entire first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury, the team announced Saturday.

Drouin scored 19 goals and a career-high 56 points in 79 games this season as he rekindled chemistry with junior teammate Nathan MacKinnon.

The 29-year-old left Colorado's regular-season finale Thursday and didn't return. The Avalanche were already locked into a matchup against the Jets.

Here's what's knocked out Jonathan Drouin. Didn't look too bad, but guess we'll see. Hope it's just precautionary #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/oYJ0LAtvZp

- x - Mile High Hockey (@MileHighHockey) April 19, 2024

The Colorado-Winnipeg series commences Sunday. Should the series go the distance, Game 7 is scheduled for May 4.

Drouin has played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times, most recently in 2020 with the Montreal Canadiens. He has six goals and 21 points in 33 career postseason contests.

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