Will Colorado Avalanche Make a Splash When NHL Free Agency Opens?
The National Hockey League free agency period officially opens Wednesday, but don’t expect the Colorado Avalanche to be a big player - or to sign one.
A busy offseason so far has netted signatures from Brett Kulak and Brent Burns, along with trading Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton. They added goaltender Magnus Chrona as well.
Much of the reshaping of the roster has already been done well before the free agent market opened.
The Avs enter free agency with about $5.6 million in projected salary-cap space, according to PuckPedia. That gives general manager Chris MacFarland some working room, but there are still needs to be addressed within the team.
Colorado’s Areas to Address
Colorado’s biggest need right now appears to be adding depth to its middle-six forwards.
With Ross Colton, Valeri Nichushkin and Jack Drury leaving, there won’t be just one major signing to take those spots. The Avs are probably better served by adding one or more versatile forwards that can contribute at both ends of the ice, and have the ability to keep up with Jared Bednar’s up-tempo game plan.
Free agents like Andrew Mangiapane, Jack Roslovic and Mikael Granlund could make sense here, but only if their asking price is within the Colorado budget.
Veteran Claude Giroux would be a great fit but he would have to care more about being with a Stanley Cup contender rather than contract price for that to work.
Biggest Priorities May Already Be on the Roster
Colorado has more business to tend to within its own team rather than just free agency work.
Contract negotiations need to be completed with superstar defenseman Cale Makar and their dependable two-way winger Artturi Lehkonen.
President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic has already indicated that he intends to keep both players and that the extensions will likely happen mid-July.
The contracts will play a significant role in how aggressively Colorado goes after free agents. The priority will be to lock up these two cornerstone pieces rather than make headlines on the first day of free agency.
This is a team that is preserving its championship window. Adding one or two affordable veterans while also keeping enough flexibility to secure the necessary contracts long-term will be exactly what MacFarland should set out to do.
Colorado’s philosophy is unlikely to change this summer. They have one of the deepest rosters in the NHL and have done so by identifying players who fit well into Bednar’s system rather than chasing big names.
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NHL, NCAA and WNBA. Laura covers the Miami Marlins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Avalanche and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com