Ross Colton

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Colton was born in Robbinsville Township, New Jersey. He played at Princeton Day School for two seasons before transferring to Taft School for his junior year. He was drafted by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL. He set a league record for most goals and points at a USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round, 118th overall, of the 2016 NHL entry draft. He played two seasons with the Vermont Catamounts before signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Lightning. He won the Stanley Cup by scoring the clinching goal in Game 5. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in the 2023 offseason, where he played three seasons, before a subsequent offseason trade to Nashville in 2026.

In Their Own Story

On October 11, 2023, Ross Colton stepped onto the ice for his first game as an Avalanche, centering the third line in a dominant 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Just weeks later on November 4, he marked his 200th career NHL appearance against the Vegas Golden Knights. The defining statistical moment of his Colorado tenure arrived on December 27, 2023, when he recorded an assist on a Jonathan Drouin goal in a 5-4 overtime defeat to the Arizona Coyotes, securing his 100th career NHL point. That season saw him log a career-best 40 points and rank second on the team in hits. His playoff run included all 11 postseason contests in 2024, where he added one goal and four points before his tenure ended with a trade to Nashville alongside Isak Posch on June 16, 2026.

Reader's Guide

Colton played for the Vermont Catamounts for two seasons. He signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Lightning on June 26, 2018. He made his NHL debut on February 24, 2021, scoring a goal. He played 30 regular-season games in 2020–21. In 2021–22, he appeared in 79 regular-season games, posting 22 goals and 39 points. In 2022–23, he appeared in a career-high 81 regular-season games, adding 16 goals and 32 points. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on June 28, 2023, and signed a four-year, $16 million contract on July 17, 2023. He made his Avalanche debut on October 11, 2023, and completed the regular season with 17 goals, 23 assists, and 40 points in 80 appearances. He played three seasons with the Avalanche before being traded to Nashville in 2026.

Did You Know?

• Colton scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in Game 5 of the 2021 Finals.
• He is one of only two players in Lightning history to record a game-winning goal in their NHL debut.
• He set a USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game record for most goals and points.
• He was drafted in the fourth round, 118th overall, of the 2016 NHL entry draft.