Martinsen, 26, could have been a restricted free agent July 1. He made his NHL debut Nov. 10, 2015 against the Philadelphia Flyers and is the eighth Norwegian-born player to play in the NHL. He had four goals and 11 points in 55 games for Colorado in his rookie season.
Martinsen went undrafted after playing with Dusseldorfer EG of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. His breakout season in 2014-15, where he scored 41 points in 50 games, garnered him attention from the Avalanche, and he signed a one-year, entry-level contract with Colorado in May 2015.
