Here’s everything we’ve seen from Colorado since the beginning of June:

• June 4: Pending UFA Brock Nelson signed a three-year contract carrying a $7.5 million AAV.
• June 20: Jason Polin and Matthew Stienburg signed one-year, two-way deals for league minimum to likely play for AHL Eagles.
• June 27: Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood traded to Columbus for Gavin Brindley and draft picks.
• June 30: Trent Miner signed a two-year, two-way contract for league minimum to play for AHL Eagles.
• June 30: RF Sam Malinski signed a one-year contract worth $1.4 million for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
• July 1: Parker Kelly signed a four-year extension that starts in 2026-27, carrying a $1.7 million AAV.
• July 1: Ron Attard, T.J. Tynan, and Jack Ahcan all signed one-year, two-way deals for league minimum, likely as staples on the AHL Eagles roster.
• July 2: Brent Burns signed a one-year bonus laden contract, carrying a $1 million cap hit + $4 million in potential bonuses.
• July 4: Alex Barre-Boulet signed a one-year, two-way deal for league minimum, likely as a staple on the AHL Eagles roster.
• July 10: Josh Manson signed a two-year extension that starts in 2026-27, carrying a $3.95 million AAV.

1. Most teams are pretty much set, but I still stand by my thought that we’ll see more notable movement before opening night. There are too many teams with too many questions for it to not happen.

Maybe arbitration settlements will re-engage clubs. For example, the Maple Leafs seemingly have too many bottom six forwards and another in RFA Nick Robertson, who has an arbitration date on the horizon.

What are they going to do with their roster?

2. I believe two things have frozen the trade market. One, way too many teams think they’ve got a shot at the playoffs, and it might take 15–25 games until reality settles in for some of the bottom feeders.

I always like using the 2022-23 St. Louis Blues as an example. Nobody expected that team to drop off the way it did coming off a competitive second-round series against the Avs. But they did, and it led to Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly, among others, being moved before the deadline. I would’ve never imagined either of those two leaving St. Louis.

So which team(s) will it be this time? If the Predators start terribly again, I’d imagine Barry Trotz might decide to blow it all up. Will Steve Stamkos be made available? Jonathan Marchessault? O’Reilly? Teams will actually have the cap space to add guys like that with term.

That’s just one of many examples of how quickly a team can adjust its plan and make really good players available for trade.

And second, I just think GMs are taking a bit of a breather. Maybe most of them are using late July to spend time with their families before getting back to it. There are no actual deadlines right now.

3. UFA’s Jack Roslovic, Victor Olofsson, and Matt Grzelcyk are all way too good to not be on opening night rosters. Even Joel Kiviranta is still out there. At some point, these guys are all going to sign, and maybe teams who miss out on them will start to maneuver.

4. Which brings me to the Avs. Their total moves since the Nelson deal are not all that many. They cleared cap space for a reason, and I’m still intrigued to see what they do with it.

I understand the frustrations of losing Coyle and Wood without any NHL players coming in, but the cap space will be used. Whether it’s now, in September, or during the year. I do think we’ll see something happen.

I would’ve loved to see Coyle stay, but I can’t stop thinking that the team probably didn’t feel like they were going to utilize him in a way to justify that cap hit. Now they have flexibility.

5. Speaking of flexibility, PuckPedia currently has the Avs listed at just over $4.1 million in available cap space. It’s actually slightly more than that because this also accounts for Stienburg, Ivan Ivan, and Tye Felhaber. They probably won’t be on the roster when all is said and done.

Anyway, more importantly, that $4.123 million is actually $18+ million in trade deadline cap space. They finally have the ability to make mid-season and deadline moves without needing to account for salary retention.

It’s a far cry from last year, when they were barely able to add Erik Johnson’s $1 million cap hit at the eleventh hour.

This management group has spent years making moves with little space. Now they have space, albeit not many assets. But still, more will come.

6. Speaking of which, I’m fascinated at the two targets they were reportedly interested in until the very end. They already had a plan to use their cap space.

It sounds like they were the runner-up in the Jonathan Toews sweepstakes, and it’s clear they had him targeted as their 3C.

Toews made his decision a week before Coyle was traded. That means the Avs were looking for a 3C well before the draft and that trade with the Blue Jackets. That also reminds me that even if they start the season with Jack Drury in that slot, I don’t think they’re going to end the year like that unless it goes very, very well.

They were also in on Nikolaj Ehlers until the end, and that one is even more fascinating. The Avs have their top six locked up. Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, and Gabe Landeskog are all under contract for the foreseeable future. Artturi Lehkonen, making just $4.5 million for two more years, is a big hit at that number.

So, was the Ehlers move a sign that they’re not close on an extension with Martin Necas and are entertaining the idea of moving him? It’s the only reasonable scenario I can think of. Otherwise, it would’ve meant Lehkonen is downgraded to the third line, which kind of makes sense but also doesn’t. He should absolutely be a staple in the top six, if not the first line.

7. So where are we with Necas anyway?

I like the player — despite what some think — and I’d love to see him get a full season with MacKinnon. But I don’t like him as much as Mikko Rantanen, nor do I think he should be making anything close to Rantanen money. It defeats the purpose of that trade and not just paying your superstar.

Again, the Ehlers thing makes me wonder. What are they planning here? Why were they targeting Ehlers in the first place?

8. How many of Yegor Chinakhov, Mason McTavish, and Marco Rossi are actually going to get moved before opening night? I’ll say one.

9. Let’s talk about the defense a little bit. Is Brent Burns instead of Ryan Lindgren enough change on the blueline? I don’t think so, and I can’t imagine the front office believes so either.

I still can’t stop thinking about an eventual Samuel Girard trade. And no, that doesn’t mean I hate the player. It just seems like the scenario that would make the most sense given the Manson extension and recent Burns and Malinski contracts (obviously Cale Makar and Devon Toews are untouchable).

It just seems like we’re in an era where teams are more interested in bigger defensemen than someone like Girard.

10. Not saying there are any reports or rumors connecting the two, but if I had to pick a reasonable option to get in a trade involving Girard, it would be Seattle Kraken’s Jamie Oleksiak.

There are others, but this would be an option that will probably be available at some point and is a pending UFA at the end of the year.

Oleksiak played really well under Dave Hakstol (not that Hakstol is going to run the defense in Colorado.)

The post Offseason Musings: Frozen NHL Trade Market — Are There Too Many Hopeful Teams? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 4.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avalanche officially lost the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes.

He’s on his way to the Carolina Hurricanes after signing a six-year, $8.5 million AAV contract.

So, if I have this right, the Canes are now going to have $14.5 million against the cap for Logan Stankoven and Ehlers. That’s a bit more than what they were offering Mikko Rantanen before he was sent to Dallas.

What else do the Avs have in mind? Well, we can’t really answer that right now. But Chris MacFarland made it very clear that they’re not done. He’s looking at trade options, keeping tabs on some depth UFA options, and might even circle back with Joel Kiviranta or Erik Johnson.

That logjam on the right side of the blueline is certainly something to keep an eye on. And of course, remaking the third line at forward.

READ MORE: ‘There’s One Big Goal Still’: Burns is Excited to Join Avs

Brent Burns met with media via Zoom on Thursday morning. One of the reasons why he’s still playing and chose the Avalanche as his next destination is exactly what you think.

He wants to win a Stanley Cup.

My colleague Colleen Flynn covered that and other topics from his presser in the story linked above.

Also, you can read my Deen’s View piece below. It’s behind the paywall and covers all my thoughts on what the Burns signing means for the rest of the lineup.

Methinks at least one, if not two other blueliners will be dealt this summer. MacFarland tends to keep us on our toes. So sit tight and enjoy the ride.

READ MORE: Deen’s View: At 40, Burns Isn’t Done Yet — But Where Does He Fit on Colorado’s Blue Line? (+)

Around The NHL

Montreal Hockey Now: The Habs’ blueline is going to look a lot different with Noah Dobson. Here’s a very early roster projection on the back end.

Detroit Hockey Now: Steve Yzerman fought the urge to overpay in free agency for once. But that doesn’t necessarily mean his offseason is done

Boston Hockey Now: So, the Bruins did a lot this week. I’m not sure how much of it actually helps but here we are. Our fine folks at Boston Hockey Now try to make sense of their new depth chart.

The post Deen’s Daily: Ehlers Heads East; Burns Itching For a Stanley Cup; Trades Coming? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 3.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avalanche didn’t strike on July 1. They also didn’t sign Nikolaj Ehlers on July 2. Actually, Ehlers still hasn’t made a decision on where he’ll play next, albeit Carolina and Washington are the rumored favorites.

But the Avs did sign Brent Burns, along with his glorious beard. And I’m very, very intrigued by this move. Burns is 40 years old but can provide a lot of things the team needs. His size, penalty-killing prowess, puck-moving ability, and reliability are all great qualities of his game.

His personality as a veteran presence will also mesh well. (I honestly can’t wait to ask him, off the record, about the Carolina Mikko Rantanen experience).

Read More: Veteran Defenseman Brent Burns Agrees To One-Year Deal with Avalanche

Around The NHL

Pius Suter Signs With Blues: The best remaining center on the market has been plucked by the St. Louis Blues, signing for two years with a $4.125 million AAV. I thought he’d get $4.5 million with term, so this isn’t a bad signing at all. I would’ve loved for the Avs to get their hands on this guy for the third line if the money made sense.

NYI Hockey Now: The Islanders are landing the top KHL free agent. Forward Maxim Shabanov signed a one-year entry level contract on Wednesday. Listed at just 5’8, 157 lbs, the 24-year-old has spent his entire career playing in Russia. I’m really curious to see if his game translates. He had 67 points in 65 games last year, before posting 10 goals and 10 assists in 21 postseason games.

Vegas Hockey Now: Want to know how much value right-shot defenseman hold in the NHL these days? Wait until you see the gamble the Vegas Golden Knights made with one of their young RHD.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Speaking of defensemen, the Pens are taking a chance on a young blueliner looking to kickstart his career with a fresh opportunity.

Montreal Hockey Now: Where does Zach Bolduc fit in the Habs’ lineup?

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings signed a depth forward to a two-year deal. Was it even necessary?

Ottawa Hockey Now: Lars Eller is still kickin’ it in the NHL after signing on to join the Ottawa Senators. Where does he fit?

The post Deen’s Daily: Burns Brings the Beard to Denver; Isles Land KHL Star; Ehlers Decision Coming? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 1.

Colorado Hockey Now

That wasn’t quite the July 1 we thought it would be. But it seems like it’s setting up for a summer of trades. At least that’s how I’m reading the market.

The Avs have cap space to use and spots in the lineup to fill, and they’re reportedly eyeing the last remaining big fish on the market. And if they don’t get him? The trades will begin. As is usually the case.

Read More: With Ehlers Reportedly in Sight, Avalanche Smartly Play the Waiting Game

The Avs lost two of their own, who both departed via free agency on Tuesday.

Jonathan Drouin landed a two-year deal with the Islanders, and Ryan Lindgren is off to Seattle for four years. Both signed for salaries that wouldn’t have worked for Avs, especially in the roles they would’ve played.

Read More: Jonathan Drouin Lands Big Two-Year Contract With Islanders

Read More: Ryan Lindgren Departs Avalanche For New Deal in Seattle

As for the one thing the Avs did do.

If you’re a fan of Parker Kelly, you’re going to like the four-year deal he signed a year out from the start of the extension.

When we spoke to Chris MacFarland over the weekend, I asked about the status of Martin Necas. MacFarland responded by saying he wouldn’t comment on any of the potential deals for their guys. Which instantly made me think about Kelly, and the idea of locking him up a year in advance, like they did with Logan O’Connor. That ended up being the case.

Now we wait on Necas. Sign? Trade? Let it ride?

Read More: Avalanche Extend Parker Kelly For Four Years — Deal Begins in 2026-27

Around The NHL

I was updating the article below all throughout the day with my thoughts on notable signings around the league. I figured I would plug that before digging into the stories around the National Hockey Now Network.

Read More: UFA Day: Who Signed Where? Instant Analysis — Rangers Sign Gavrikov, Canucks Keep Boeser, Granlund Gets Paid

Given the massive move they made, I think it’s best we start in Vegas.

Vegas Hockey Now: I’m one of those people that hated to see things end the way they did between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Marner. It should’ve never gotten to this, but a change was necessary for both sides. Seeing him look happier was a nice change. Marner admitted that this was where he wanted to be.

GM Kelly McCrimmon was also very complimentary of his new superstar forward.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: One of the depth forwards on my UFA wishlist for the Avs was Justin Brazeau. He ended up landing in Pittsburgh for more than what I would’ve wanted in Colorado.

Montreal Hockey Now: I have no idea what the Blues were thinking, shipping Zach Bolduc to Montreal for Logan Mailloux. Is that the price for right-shot defensemen that haven’t even gained a permanent role in the NHL? Or is this a sign of desperation? Methinks it’s the latter.

New Jersey Hockey Now: The Devils shored up their depth with additions of Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov. They also got the best bargain deal on the market, re-signing their own UFA Jake Allen to a five-year deal.

NYI Hockey Now: I really hope things go well for Drouin on Long Island. That’s a team that has struggled to score in the past. I’m not sure if it’s the best landing spot for him.

Boston Hockey Now: Among the handful of moves the Bruins made, they gave an insane amount of money and term to Tanner Jeannot. But before that, they also made a deal with Edmonton to acquire another depth forward.

Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers took a chance on Oliver Ekman-Larsson two years ago and it worked. Then they went a bit older with Nate Schmidt last year and that worked, too. Now, Jeff Petry gets his turn on their third pair.

Chicago Hockey Now: The Blackhawks handed out big money and term to depth pieces on July 1 in each of the last two years. Not this time.

The post Deen’s Daily: Quiet July 1 For the Avalanche; Marner Happy in Vegas; Blues Make Desperation Deal appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Colorado has spent years building its team through the trade market for good reason. Because the contracts handed out on July 1 are often for a touch too much, or for a little too long. And you rarely ever get a needle mover.

The Vegas Golden Knights landed the big fish in Mitch Marner. But to make space for him, they’re losing top blueliner Alex Pietrangelo to LTIR while trading Nic Roy to Toronto in the Marner sign-and-trade, and Nic Hague to Nashville for two other depth pieces.

Read More: Jonathan Drouin Lands Big Two-Year Contract With Islanders

Aside from Marner, almost every other big free agent opted to re-sign with his club. You can thank the Florida Panthers for ultimately eliminating a lot of the intrigue. Florida didn’t just re-sign the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Sam Bennett. They also landed deals with Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand at the eleventh hour.

Without them, without Brock Boeser, who re-signed in Vancouver, or Ivan Provorov, who opted to stay with Columbus, the market ultimately lost almost all the talent at the top.

The Rangers signed Vladislav Gavrikov, arguably the best UFA defenseman remaining, but they traded K’Andre Miller to make the money work.

The last remaining high-profile player left is Nikolaj Ehlers. And, the Avs are reportedly interested. It would explain why they did basically nothing (Parker Kelly extension aside). It would also explain why they haven’t yet resorted to making trades.

Read More: Report: Avalanche One of Many Teams Interested in Nikolaj Ehlers

It seems like general manager Chris MacFarland identified his target, and was willing to risk losing out on the next tier of players if Ehlers chooses another suitor. But that’s fine. They weren’t missing much.

I have a sense the L.A. Kings might quickly regret the big money deals they handed to Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin on the blueline. The Ducks have cap space, but is Mikael Granlund for three years at $7 million the best way to utilize it?

For some teams, striking out on July 1 might be a cause for concern. But it shouldn’t be for the Avs, or their fans.

Sticking it out to see if you can land a sizable piece in Ehlers is worthy of being patient. If not? That’s fine too. It just means you have another year without a notable UFA signing. Another year of extending a streak of seven offseasons in a row without a UFA signed for more than a $4 million AAV.

Read More: Ryan Lindgren Departs Avalanche For New Deal in Seattle

MacFarland and Joe Sakic built the 2022 Stanley Cup championship roster via trades. They remade last year’s mess of a lineup by wheeling and dealing throughout the regular season. After dealing Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to clear space and recoup some assets, they still can, and likely will, shift to the trade market to achieve what they wanted.

It starts with waiting it out to see if Ehlers signs. After already sitting out a market that just wasn’t favorable for most Stanley Cup contending teams

The post With Ehlers Reportedly in Sight, Avalanche Smartly Play the Waiting Game appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The 29-year-old forward became the hottest free agent on the market following the Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Ivan Provorov contract extensions with their respective clubs. And of course, the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade that sent him from Toronto to the Vegas Golden Knights.

Prior to announcing his retirement, TSN Insider Bob McKenzie provided an update on Ehlers. He said several teams are speaking with the longtime Winnipeg Jets goalscorer.

Among those teams? The Colorado Avalanche.

The Avs haven’t made any notable UFA signings on the first day of free agency, and this could be why. Given their limited cap space, perhaps general manager Chris MacFarland’s priority is to sign Ehlers. If it doesn’t end up in Colorado’s favor, then shifting towards trade targets is likely the way to go.

It would be a huge moment if the Avalanche pull it off. Colorado hasn’t signed a UFA from another team for more than a $4 million AAV since 2018. And Ehlers might be their biggest ever.

The addition of someone like that could mean a lot of things. And it would all but certainly shift focus to Martin Necas, who is a year away from unrestricted free agency status.

We’ll see how things unfold in the coming days.

The post Report: Avalanche One of Many Teams Interested in Nikolaj Ehlers appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Colorado Avalanche

• Colorado Hockey Now: Georgiev blanks former Avalanche Darcy Kuemper and the Capitals.
• Georgiev makes the seventh most saves in franchise history to get his first shutout in an Avalanche sweater

32 saves and the first in an @Avalanche uniform for Alexandar Georgiev. #NHLStats: https://t.co/bUuEOSsJFi pic.twitter.com/PqUmKvMZpJ

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 20, 2022

• Colorado Eagles win their fourth straight and their second overtime win in a row with a Aamodt goal.

OT HERO AMMO#EaglesCountry pic.twitter.com/KQAr9viOne

— Colorado Eagles (@ColoradoEagles) November 20, 2022

National Hockey Now

• Boston Hockey Now: The Bruins tie a NHL record 11 straight home wins.
• Florida Hockey Now: Huberdeau Gets Last Laugh, Flames Beat Florida Panthers.
• San Jose Hockey Now: Through 20 Games, Who Are the Sharks?
• Dallas Hockey Now: Goalie Scott Wedgewood describes his injury.
• Philly Hockey Now: Flyers lose their sixth in a row as the injury list grows.

Around The League

• TSN: Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers will undergo sports hernia surgery. There is no timeline for his return.
• Sportsnet: Ryan Reynolds is getting serious as he meets with potential investors for the Ottawa Senators.

The post Dater’s Daily: Georgiev Stands Tall; Bruins Tie Record appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.