The Avalanche on Tuesday announced it has signed former first-round draft pick Jared Cowen to a professional tryout contract. The 6-foot-5, 238-pound defenseman, who missed the entire 2016-17 season with hip problems, will report to training camp Sept. 14 at the Pepsi Center.
Cowen, 26, has played in 249 NHL regular-season games, each with the Ottawa Senators. He was traded to Toronto in February 2016 but never played for the Maple Leafs, who attempted to buy him out last summer. The buyout never happened but Cowen was on injured reserve throughout last season.
He was the ninth overall pick in the 2009 draft, six spots behind Avalanche center Matt Duchene.