The Colorado Avalanche gave Jacob MacDonald his first prolonged chance to play at the NHL level, and Monday the former Waterloo Black Hawk signed a free agent contract which will bring him back to Denver.

The two-year deal comes less than two years after MacDonald was traded to the San Jose Sharks.  Despite battling injuries last winter, the 31-year-old scored a career-high seven goals for the Sharks in 2023/24.  MacDonald also recorded a pair of assists, and those nine total points matched his highest previous mark, set in 2020/21 over 33 games for Colorado.
 
MacDonald has appeared in 135 career NHL contests.  Seventy-four of those games were played during parts of three seasons with the Avalanche.  MacDonald made his NHL debut in 2018 during a short stint with the Florida Panthers and scored a goal in his very first game.  During parts of five league seasons, he has 10 goals and 17 assists.  

At the USHL level, MacDonald came to Waterloo midway through the 2009/10 schedule and was one of the youngest players on the team.  Nonetheless, he was responsible for four goals and six assists with a +7 plus/minus differential during 29 games.  A year later, he ranked second in scoring for the Hawks with 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists).  MacDonald's time in Waterloo prepared him for a successful college career at Cornell University.

MacDonald is the fourth former Black Hawk to sign a contract since the opening of the 2024 free agency period earlier today.  Defenseman Brandon Montour moved from the Florida Panthers to the Seattle Kraken.  Forward Craig Smith will be a Chicago Blackhawk next year after spending last season with the Dallas Stars.  Forward Miko Matikka inked his entry-level contract with the Utah Hockey Club, officially departing from Denver after one year of college hockey.