Matt Stienburg had a rough year. In just his second full season as a professional, Stienburg got the call up to the Colorado Avalanche. He joined a short list of players like Paul Stastny, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Kurtis MacDermid, who all wore the franchise sweater after their father.

Stienburg played only two games with the Colorado Eagles before getting the call from the Avalanche. He was playing in almost every situation for the Eagles, but was key in their penalty kill. His confidence alongside Jayson Megna was a powerful one-two punch while shorthanded. During the home opener against the Tucson Roadrunners, Megna gave a leading pass to Stienburg on the kill for his first of the year.

While with the Avalanche, the Cornell alum provided a different role on the team. He played on the fourth line. Opponents always recognized Stienburg’s presence, despite his limited ice time. His gritty play made him standout in the bottom-six. In his NHL debut against the Boston Bruins, he showed no fear. Stienburg dropped the mitts with former Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov. He may have lost the fight, but he certainly set the tone.

In just his eighth NHL game, Stienburg hit a snag. The gritty forward showed some frustration with an illegal hit on defenseman Erik Černák. The Department of Player Safety gave Stienburg a two-game suspension and the Avalanche immediately reassigned him. Stienburg suffered a severe injury in his first game back with the Eagles, keeping him out for the next five months.

He managed only two more games in the regular season and served his suspension during the playoffs for the Avalanche. In three playoff games, he had no points.

Stienburg signed a one-year deal to avoid going to arbitration and free agency over the summer this past Friday.