Hejduk suffered through a dismal season last year, recording a career-low 37 points in 81 games. By season's end, the 36-year-old was openly pondering retirement. However, he decided to re-up with the team for one more season, agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract last May. He is likely to open the season on the Avs' third line, but he has shown he's more than capable of handling a top-six role if he can find a way of returning to his previous form.
It looks like the 35-year-old Hejduk will finish his career in Colorado after signing a one-year, $2.6 million dollar contract with the Avs back in May. Hejduk scored 22 goals in 2010-11, the 11th consecutive season in which he has scored 20 or more, and added 34 helpers. Despite his advancing age, he remains a decent late-round fantasy option in most formats. Playing with young guns like Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny - and perhaps incoming second-overall draft pick Gabriel Landeskog - does nothing but add to Hejduk's fantasy appeal.
Hejduk re-signed with the Avs for one more season in 2010-11 and, at 34 years old, is surely nearing the end of his NHL campaign. When healthy, Hejduk can still perform like the point-a-game player he was earlier in his career; however, an assortment of injuries limited him to just 56 games last year, in which he still scored 44 points (23 G, 21 A). The good news is, the Avs have a strong core of young, up-and-coming players like Matt Duchene, Chris Stewart and Peter Mueller, so the supporting cast is there for Hejduk to rely on. That said, the question still remains regarding the guy’s age and durability. If he can stay out of the infirmary, Hejduk’s track record suggests he is good for 50 points with upside to 60-65. Don’t draft him too early, if at all. If you must take a chance on him, leave him for the later rounds of your draft based on the age and the injury factor.
Hejduk's 59- and 54-point efforts over the past two seasons are significantly lower than the career-best 98 points he tallied back in 2002-03, suggesting that his best days are likely behind him, especially since he had guys like Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg helping him post those numbers back then. However, at 33 years old, Hejduk is hardly over the hill, and enters the season once again pencilled in as the Avs' first-line right winger, playing opposite Stastny and Wolski. Injuries aren't usually an issue with Hejduk, as he has only missed a combined 15 games over the past four seasons since the lockout. He's capable of another 70-point season, but we think the odds of that happening are low. Bottom line, he can still put the puck in the net, but don't rank him too high on your draft sheet for this season, particularly if your league tracks plus-minus as a stat category - his alarming minus-19 last season was the first negative of his career.
Hejduk has grown increasingly inconsistent over the past few seasons. He scored a career-high 98 points in 2002-03, but since then has finished each season either in 50- or 70- point territory. In fantasy terms, that 20-point differential adds up to too much risk for anyone looking to pick up Hejduk in the early rounds of their draft. Bank on another season of around 55 points and draft accordingly. He could surprise you with another 70+ season, but we doubt it.
Hejduk had a slow start to the 2006-07 season and was slotted in at right wing on all three lines before finding a home on Colorado's second line. He'll return there this season to play along side Andrew Brunette and Paul Stasty, two of Colorado's top three assist men.
Hejduk completes a potent first line with Joe Sakic and Andrew Brunette. His scoring (24 goals) dropped off considerably in 2005-06, but a preseason knee surgery forced him to miss some games and resulted in a slow start. He looks healthy heading into 2006-07.
