Colorado Avalanche have called up forward Riley Tufte and defenseman Caleb Jones from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Tufte, who has been on fire in the early season, scoring six goals and accumulating eight points in just six games with the Eagles, is making his return to the NHL.
As for Caleb Jones, this recall provides him with an opportunity to secure a roster spot on his third NHL team. If successful, this will mark his sixth season in the NHL. Jones was initially drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut in the 2018-19 season, becoming a reliable member of the Edmonton Oilers’ defense. In his rookie year, he played 43 games and tallied nine points.
He remained with the Oilers for another season before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Duncan Keith and Tim Soderlund. During his time with the Hawks, Jones played a significant amount of NHL hockey, participating in 124 games and contributing 31 points over two seasons. However, he is currently facing challenges in finding a permanent NHL roster spot, starting the 2022-23 season with a minor league assignment in Colorado.
Riley Tufte’s impressive scoring in the early season is noteworthy, as he is currently tied for third in goals in the AHL, despite playing fewer games than anyone else in the top 10. He has already played 13 NHL games between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, scoring his first NHL goal but failing to register any additional points. Tufte, a first-round pick in 2016, joined the Colorado Avalanche through free agency this summer, signing a one-year, $775,000 contract that he hopes to secure with this NHL recall.