All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — August 29.

Colorado Hockey Now

Brent Burns and Gabe Landeskog are becoming staples of the Avalanche’s informal skates at Ball Arena. But so are a handful of AHL guys looking to make an impression at training camp. Guys like Nikita Prishchepov, Maros Jedlicka, Matthew Stienburg, Chase Bradley, Sean Behrens, Gavin Brindley and many more.

I suspect we’ll see a ton more veterans trickle into town soon. Things are kicking off in less than three weeks.

READ MORE: Landeskog, Burns, Among Avalanche Participants In Recent Skates 

Around The NHL

Marner Chats with Mark Masters: Mitch Marner say down with TSN’s Mark Masters at the Hockey Canada orientation camp to discuss what ended up being a sad ending for the local kid from his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Among the things Marner talked about was how safety started becoming an issue. Someone in the city posted his address online following the Game 7 loss and Marner had to spend his last few weeks at home under heavy security. You can read more about his interview here. Pretty crazy stuff.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Connor McDavid is the best hockey player in the world, but he’s not captain Canada. Not while Sidney Crosby is still around. Even at the age of 38.

Detroit Hockey Now: One of Detroit’s former highly touted prospects is facing a four-year doping ban from the IIHF after testing positive for a whopping six banned substances.

Boston Hockey Now: Can the Bruins be a landing spot for McDavid if he actually tests the market next summer? I still believe he’ll stay in Edmonton and probably sign soon. And even if not, it’s hard to imagine Boston would be his top choice.

San Jose Hockey Now: What Dmitry Orlov can bring to the Sharks.

The post Deen’s Daily: Avalanche Skating in Colorado; Marner Talks Unceremonious Departure From Toronto appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Everyone from Chris MacFarland as general manager to Jared Bednar as head coach should be feeling the pressure.

This is the year when the excuses shouldn’t be a factor. There’s no more waiting for Gabe Landeskog. The expectation is that Valeri Nichushkin is healthy and ready to rock from the get-go. You have solid goaltending. Your starter is locked up, and your backup is one of the best in the league — a nice clap back to the days of Pavel Francouz. You have a second-line center. And this time it’s someone with veteran experience and a proven track record of reliability in the regular season and production in the playoffs.

You have Nathan MacKinnon in his prime.

You have Cale Makar in his prime.

Yet you’ve only won one series since that legendary night in Tampa Bay that ended with a Stanley Cup championship. It hasn’t been good enough. But it should be much more than that this season.

Here are three things I’d like to see from the Avs for this to be their year.

Top Six: The Best Ability is Availability

The Avs have had arguably the best top six in the NHL on paper for most of the past three years. But on paper didn’t always translate to on-ice availability.

Landeskog hasn’t played in three full seasons. In the first year, he was replaced with Evan Rodrigues, who had 39 points in 69 games. In the last two seasons, the Avs had Jonathan Drouin, who did an admirable job. Drouin produced at a clip of 62 points per 82 games in Colorado.

The problem wasn’t his production. It was his availability. He missed more than 25% of the regular season games in the last two years. And that came after Rodrigues missed 13 games. In total, Landeskog’s replacement in the top six has missed 55 games in three seasons — which comes out to 18 per season. That’s a lot of hockey for such a big piece of the roster.

And with all due respect to both of them, they were not as good as Landeskog in years past. They didn’t have his leadership, physicality, and net-front presence. The Avs finally have their captain back. He was solid in his short playoff stint and should be a factor moving forward. Even if he’s not producing at his 2022 rate.

Then there’s the second-line center issue. Somehow, in three seasons, the Avs have managed to have five players slot into that role.

READ MORE: Avalanche Depth Chart: Lineup Coming Together but Still an Unfinished Product

J.T. Compher did a fine job punching above his weight class in 2022-23, but he was slotted into it because Alex Newhook couldn’t develop into that role. Then there was the failed Ryan Johansen experiment, the Bowen Byram-for-Casey Mittelstadt blunder, before the team ultimately landed on Brock Nelson.

The 33-year-old has played 246 consecutive games after missing 10 games in 2021-22 with an injury. And before that, Nelson missed only two games in seven seasons. That’s the type of reliability the Avs need. And they should have it with their new full-time 2C.

Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen are two of the best two-way checking forwards in the game. But the fact that they’ve missed 96 and 68 games, respectively, over the past three seasons, is a huge problem. That averages out to 32 per year for Nichushkin and 22 for Lehkonen.

Let’s put that into perspective.

Since 2022-23, Nichushkin has averaged 42 goals in every 96 games and Lehkonen 29 goals per 68 games. That’s a lot of offense they’ve missed. And that doesn’t include what missing them did to the ice time of MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, who were far and away the two most-used forwards over the last three years.

Rantanen is gone now, and Martin Necas should be here for the foreseeable future. This will be the first year with Necas as a full-time member of the roster. If he can continue to elevate his production, I see no problem with him being a key piece of this team moving forward.

All five of these guys, the five that will make up the top two lines with MacKinnon, were not in the lineup for opening night a year ago. All for different reasons.

MacFarland built a top six that can win. They need to be available to achieve that goal.

Organizational Fit: Be More Strategic with Future Acquisitions

Basically, find the right depth pieces. It’s easier said than done.

When the Avs won the Cup in 2022, they hit on a depth acquisition in Andrew Cogliano at the trade deadline. In the following years, guys like Lars Eller, Yakov Trenin, Brandon Duhaime, Juuso Parssinen, and Jimmy Vesey were all misses.

When they won in 2022, Josh Manson came in and made an impact. They didn’t get that same impact from Sean Walker in 2024 or Ryan Lindgren in 2025.

When they needed help in the middle of the year, they picked up Nicolas Aube-Kubel off waivers, and he was a mainstay of the roster throughout the regular season and a key depth piece for the playoff run. Since then, they’ve gotten pretty much nothing out of recent waiver claims like John Ludvig and Ivan Prosvetov.

Darren Helm wasn’t supposed to be the fourth-line center in the playoffs in 2022 and was barely a factor in the regular season. The front office went out and acquired Nico Sturm to play that role. But the veteran forward, who played on the wing all year, was shifted to center and did everything and more that was asked of him. Nowadays, the coaching staff is struggling to find fits for players. Tomas Tatar was here, and then he was gone, before he had a chance to find his place. That’s just one example.

And that doesn’t even include their ability in the past to find the right type of players. They once added Nazem Kadri to be their 2C. His willingness to do anything it takes to win was an attribute missing from Johansen and Mittelstadt.

How has the pro scouting department fallen this much?

READ MORE: Former Avs Center Achieves Life-Long Dream — Awarded Captaincy for Winter Olympics

You have to hit on those depth moves. Every additional NHL-capable player you have at your disposal is a boost to your lineup. That’s part of the reason why I like the Joel Kiviranta signing. I’d much rather they get a guy they know can play 10+ minutes per night and do a good job, then to try and sign someone for a couple hundred thousand dollars less and end up with an unplayable player.

Missing on a depth piece — even a fourth liner — means you have to go out later and trade third-round picks for guys like Duhaime or Trenin, or a second for Eller because Anton Blidh and Lukas Sedlak were failed signings.

The Avalanche need depth pieces right now. And the fact that they’re being patient makes me feel like they’re well aware that they can’t get this wrong. Trying to replace a failed depth piece later isn’t easy when you’re short on tradeable assets.

Bring in Tougher Defensemen to Play Against

Is Brent Burns enough to change the tune of the defense? I certainly don’t think he is. And I say this as someone who loves the signing for Colorado.

The reality is, the blueline is a big part of the reason why the Avs have struggled to win playoff games in recent years

The Dallas Stars are a tough team to play against. And if you get past them and the rest of the Central Division, you’re probably going to struggle with the size and physicality of the Vegas Golden Knights. Which, by the way, were no match for the Edmonton Oilers’ physicality just two months ago.

Everyone else is beefing up. Colorado needs to adapt.

The Avs have hitched their wagon to Manson for the foreseeable future, and they have their top pair locked up. Between those three, and Burns, you’ve got four solid pieces of your defense.

Then there’s Sam Malinski, who they signed for a year, which walks him to unrestricted free agency next summer. But they still added another righty in Burns afterward. So, do they trust Malinski as a full-time NHLer? If they do, are they planning on shifting him to the left? Or is he a tradeable asset that they plan on using to bring in someone else before the trade deadline?

And of course, Samuel Girard rounds out the group. He’s the only piece of the bottom two pairs who didn’t sign a contract with the Avs this summer. Which is why I’ve continued to write about him being a potential trade candidate. They want to shake up the blueline, they’re not trading Devon Toews or Makar, and they signed the other three guys over the last six weeks.

So where does that leave Girard?

Regardless of what they choose to do, I just can’t imagine that Burns in and Lindgren out is the only change they wanted. They have to figure out a way to get bigger, stronger, and tougher to play against.

The post 3 Things Standing Between the Avalanche and Another Long Stanley Cup Run appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Question from Neil Bergin

We’re into August now and still no Necas news. Do you think they will move him before the season if they can’t get a deal done?

Aarif’s Response

I know I’ve answered this before, but I feel like my thoughts on the matter have shifted just a little bit.

In the past, I was of the opinion that the Avs just can’t let Martin Necas play this season without an extension, just given how things ended with Mikko Rantanen last year. And maybe they’re actually thinking this.

But now? I’m not entirely against it. Simply because, there are a ton of pending UFA’s entering their final season, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we could see a big trade or two during the year. Remember those Mitch Marner for Rantanen rumors between Carolina and Toronto? That would’ve happened if Marner didn’t have a no-trade clause built into his contract.

So, if Necas isn’t signed, let the season begin with him. I don’t think he’s the kind of player that’s going to let it affect his play. He’s a confident guy. If you get to a point where you think you’re going to lose him for nothing, then start entertaining trade offers, but this time, let teams negotiate a contract at the time of the deal to increase his value.

Maybe he ends up on a young rebuilding team with cap space like the Philadelphia Flyers. Or maybe you can pull off one of those Marner for Rantanen type of trades. For example, what if the L.A. Kings can’t get Adrian Kempe locked up either? Would that be a worthwhile trade for both teams?

It’s a gamble, but this front office has proven time and time again that they’re not against taking those risks. They just need to learn from past mistakes and actually work with the player this time to increase his value. Necas with an extension is worth more to another team than Necas without one. But that’s assuming that he’s willing to sign with anyone before July 1.

In the end, the best scenario is for him to sign an extension with the Avs soon, and we can move forward without this uncertainty.

Question from Doug

Is EJ going to retire, will the Avs bring him back at league minimum, or might he sign elsewhere?

Aarif’s Response

This is speculation on my part, but I can’t see Erik Johnson signing elsewhere this time around. I think he’s back in Denver and wants to stay here. Best case, he signs and remains on the team as an extra. Lord knows, injuries are going to happen and you’ll need EJ quite a bit.

If the Avs don’t bring him back, perhaps he retires and accepts a different job within the organization, whether in hockey ops or perhaps T.V.

Question from Clyde

Are you of the opinion that with the Lumber Yard here for the start of the season, the Avs will get out the gate with a lot better start with a reliable goaltending tandem?

Aarif’s Response

Yes. Absolutely. Between the goaltending, having Gabe Landeskog back full-time, Brock Nelson as 2C, and better defense depth, I think this year is going to start much better. You also have a healthy Artturi Lehkonen from the first day and Valeri Nichushkin not serving a suspension.

Last year the top six on opening night was Nathan MacKinnon, Rantanen, Jonathan Drouin, Nikolai Kovalenko, Calum Ritchie, and Casey Mittelstadt. It’s crazy that only one of these guys is still on the team.

Question from Glendon Gulliver

Gabriel Landeskog had a good playoff with 1 G, 3 A, 4 P in 5 games. Besides being able to play the whole season, how well do you think he needs to play to now justify his $7 million salary? Does he need to play well enough to be on the second line, or will it be okay if his play moves him to the third line? What do you think he needs to provide offensively? 20 goals? 50 points?

Aarif’s Response

It’s easier to answer these questions after seeing what Landeskog was able to do in his return during the playoffs. I do think 50 points is the bare minimum given that he’ll likely be a full-time top-six guy and on the top power play.

Unless he completely falls off, like I’m talking an epic meltdown where he’s no longer got “it,” I don’t think his contract will be an issue. The rising cap also helps. Like right now, whether Landeskog is making $5 million, $6 million or $7 million, the Avs still have cap space and some other depth roster players they can move to create more. I’m not too concerned about his contract anymore.

Again, this is all because we saw what he could do in five games during a physical playoff series after missing three years. It’s easier to play the “what if” after seeing that small sample size.

Question from Greg Hadden

Can the Avs offer Joel Kiviranta a PTO (professional tryout) since they have before? Can they offer him a two-way contract? And, if so, have they or why haven’t they?

Aarif’s Response

They can offer him anything. There are no rules against a player taking another PTO or a two-way deal as a veteran.

I can’t say for sure why he hasn’t signed anywhere yet, but given that it’s been over a month since free agency began, and he’s still out there, it makes me think the Avs are holding firm on an offer and Kiviranta’s camp is trying to get more from them or another team.

We’ll see what ends up happening, but if this is actually the case, I do appreciate the front office not blowing through their cap space just because they have it. Saving a few hundred thousand dollars here and there goes a long way around the trade deadline.

Hey, maybe they have bigger ideas in mind. We shall see.

Question from Jared Williss

Who is traded first, Sam Girard or Ross Colton?

Aarif’s Response

This is a tough question to answer because I can make a case for both.

Ross Colton: I can see him being traded first if the Avs acquire another 3C with a sizable cap hit, and they don’t want their third line to have two expensive players on it. This is the same reason why I thought he’d be traded when the offseason began, because I didn’t think Charlie Coyle would be the one on the move.

Samuel Girard: If they’re still trying to acquire a third high-priced defenseman to play big minutes, then Girard would probably be the first to go. Josh Manson is locked up at just under $4 million for the foreseeable future already. So I can’t see Girard at $5 million also fitting in with three guys making more than him. Again, this is assuming they actually get someone else at a higher cap hit to play a larger role.

Both Colton and Girard have two years remaining on their contracts. Maybe neither ends up getting traded in the end. Doubtful, but possible.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Gambling with Necas, EJ and Kiviranta Updates, Goaltending Tandem, & More appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 15.

Colorado Hockey Now

The regular-season schedule is going to be announced Wednesday morning, but we already know the Avs are starting the season on Oct. 7 on the road against the Los Angeles Kings.

Landeskog is going to be healthy to start the year. The team finally has its captain back in the regular season. What kind of effect will that have? I answered questions about that, and other things, in the first part of the latest CHN Avalanche Mailbag.

In case you missed it yesterday, the Avs announced another hire for their AHL team.

Read More: Derek Army Joins Colorado Eagles AHL Coaching Staff

Around The NHL

Montreal Hockey Now: Nazem Kadri has been a great leader for the Calgary Flames over the past three years. But, if he’s moved, there are two destinations he’s reportedly willing to waive for. One of them is Montreal.

San Jose Hockey Now: The Sharks announced a bunch of new hires. Among them, NHL Hall of Famer Joe Thornton.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: An analysis of the difficult job Kyle Dubas has. Why the Pens can’t tank or succeed.

Detroit Hockey Now: Bowen Byram is off the trade market, at least for now, after signing a two-year deal with Buffalo to avoid arbitration.

Chicago Hockey Now: The No. 3 overall draft pick Anton Frondell has officially signed his entry-level contract.

The post Deen’s Daily: A Full Season with Landeskog; Kadri’s Preferred Destinations; Thornton Hired in San Jose appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

This one was a whopper of a mailbag that I’ve decided to split it into two parts. The second half will be released Wednesday morning.

Thanks to all who asked questions! Enjoy.

Read More: Avalanche Open 2025-26 Regular Season on the Road

Question from Sasha Landprecht

From 2020-2025, the Avs could’ve had 3 Cups. But after their Cup win, It seems like it went downhill with Gabe Landeskog’s injury and Valeri Nichuhskin’s issues. Do you think their cup window has shut?

Aarif’s Response

This upcoming season is going to tell us a lot about where this team currently stands.

They played a great series against Dallas but fell short on the PP and couldn’t hold third period leads. It was a frustrating loss that’ll sit with them for a while. But with No. 92 and No. 13 seemingly figured out now, we’re going to see what they’re made of.

In short, no, I don’t believe their Cup window has shut. They have more in them with this group. And then they can extend it if the pieces around Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Landeskog, etc. are refreshed in the next few years.

This is going to be their roster to open a season since 2021.

Question from Stephen Moss

Question from Jared Williss

The post Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Stanley Cup Window, Offseason vs Mid-Season Trades, and the Landeskog Effect appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Gabe Landeskog, who returned during the playoffs in April following a nearly three-year absence, was nominated for the “Best Comeback Athlete” category on Tuesday. Voting for the ESPY’s is now open, and the event will air next Wednesday, July 16, at 6 p.m. MT on ABC.

The ESPY Awards, short for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, is an annual American awards show produced by ESPN that recognizes individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance.

They typically honor achievements from the previous year. This year’s show will honor professional athletic performances dating back to July 2024.

Read More: Avalanche Hire Dave Hakstol as Assistant Coach

Landeskog’s return in Game 3 against the Dallas Stars was his first game since June 26, 2022. He missed the entire 2022-23 regular season trying to recover from a knee issue. Following Colorado’s elimination that year, Landeskog opted for knee cartilage replacement and a lengthy 12-16 month recovery timeline. He missed the entire 2023-24 regular season and playoffs.

Landeskog reached 16 months early in the 2024-25 regular season but struggled with a few setbacks. As the season started to wind down, the 32-year-old began to skate more with the team before being sent to the AHL for a conditioning assignment.

He was activated from long-term injury reserve and added to the active roster ahead of Game 2 and made his long-awaited return in Game 3 at Ball Arena. Landeskog had a goal and three assists in five games, and played upwards of 18 minutes per night on the second line and top power-play unit in Games 5-7.

Along with Landeskog, Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, who was raised in Colorado, is among the other nominees for “Best Comeback Athlete.”

The post Avalanche’s Gabe Landeksog Nominated For ESPY Award appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

The Avalanche’s general manager feels calm, and more comfortable with what he has to work with.

He’s got clarity on the captain, all of his top forwards are healthy and available, and following a cap-clearing trade, he has cap space to maneuver with. What a difference a year makes. Especially as it pertains to Gabe Landeskog and planning around his hefty $7 million salary.

Read More: Deen’s View: With Coyle and Wood Gone, Avalanche’s Main Focus Should Shift to Defense (+)

“The last three years we didn’t know (if he would play). So you’re in that wonky space of if he comes back, what do we do, and how do you plan for that exactly? And last year, Val was also suspended,” MacFarland said Saturday at Ball Arena. ” Those are vice-like grips on what you’re doing in the summer, because if you don’t have escape hatches, sometimes teams will look to exploit you if you have to get in those situations where you have to move money suddenly.”

Last year, MacFarland straight up told us that his targets would be low AAV signings. He got Parker Kelly on a low-cost deal and it paid off. But Oliver Kylington, Calvin de Haan, and Erik Brannstrom didn’t work out. This time around, there is a possibility that things could really get shaken up.

Is it finally time to remake the defense after the top pair? Who is going to play in the bottom six? Pretty much everything is on the table outside the core group and the goaltending tandem.

Here are the takeaways from MacFarland’s press conference, just days away from the opening of unrestricted free agency.

They Finally Can Operate Without LTIR

Landeskog’s playoff return has almost made me forget that the Avalanche haven’t played a regular season with their captain since March 2022. And for the first time in four years, the front office can plan for opening night without wondering if they can spend Landeskog’s salary on a replacement.

That, in itself, is huge. MacFarland spoke about the possibility of being able to accrue cap space leading up to the trade deadline, something you can’t do when you’re operating in LTIR. If, for example, you enter opening night with around $250,000 in cap space, that daily number accrues over the season and allows you to spend more at the trade deadline.

Logan O’Connor will start the season injured, but depending on the moves they make, they still could probably be under the cap even with O’Connor and his replacement accounted for. Having cap space means less assets get sent out the door for salary retention.

Read More: Deen’s Daily: MacKinnon Has Had Enough; MacFarland Talks Coyle, Wood Trade; Marner to Vegas?!

MacFarland Loves Making Trades. Could More Be Coming?

I’ve written about this before but, traditionally, this front office prefers trades to signing free agents. I asked MacFarland about this, and he said it’s a case by case type of thing. But here’s what he had to say about the plan heading into July.

“We’re going to look at all options. It may not be free agency. We’ll do our assessments, and we’ll see where those markets go, in terms of the terms and the dollars, and maybe a trade is the better way to go,” MacFarland said. “I think we’ve got to look to add at forward and on the back end. So we’ll look at every avenue possible until we find the right fits.”

Martin Necas Extension? Maybe?

MacFarland is well versed at saying a lot, but also not saying much at the same time. Sometimes it’s unnecessary to read too much into what he says. But other times it’s smarter to grab onto clues to really figure out what he’s saying. Is this one of those times? Maybe.

Here’s what he said when I asked him about Necas being eligible for an extension on July 1, and if he has confidence that a new deal can be signed before the season begins.

“I’m not going to comment on any pending contracts or anything like that today, but we’ll chat with a bunch of our guys that are going into the last year in the weeks ahead, and we’ll see if we can find common ground,” MacFarland said. “But Marty played very well for us. He’s a he’s a dynamic winger. I think he was top 20 in the league in scoring, so we’re super excited to have him.”

Is this a non answer? Or is the lack of clarity in his response code for “we have no idea how this is going to turn out.”

I guess we’ll find out soon. This remains the biggest story of the summer for the Avs, in my opinion.

Read More: Avs Still Have Work to Do After Coyle, Wood, and Brindley Trade

Is Drouin Returning? How about Lindgren or Kiviranta?

The Avalanche have three notable pending UFA’s. Technically four, but I’ll get to that shortly.

I asked MacFarland specifically about Jonathan Drouin, and he touched on all three guys. It sounds like there’s a possibility that any one of them could be signed before Tuesday. Here’s what the GM had to say.

“We obviously have a plethora of our own free agents, with Kiviranta, Drouin, and Lindgren,” he said. “We’ll never say never on any of those guys. But I think we’re going to breathe a little bit here and see what shakes off the tree. And if we decide to see if there’s a deal over the next two days before July 1 hits, and it makes sense, maybe we will. But on Tuesday, we’ll be looking to improve the team.”

The fourth free agent I hinted at, is, of course, Erik Johnson. Should I be reading between the lines, or did MacFarland simply forget to mention him when he began his response?

Defense Changes Are Coming

Going back to reading between the lines, it sure sounds like MacFarland wants to shake up the blueline. I’ll drop the full quote of what he had to say when he was asked about changes on defense after the top pair.

“We’re very fortunate, obviously, to have Taser and Cale and Sam Girard and Josh Manson. Sam Malinski also played very well. I’d be very curious to see Keaton Middleton’s continued evolvement as training camp comes,” MacFarland said. “But whether (we add) a second pair guy, or a number five type of guy hat can be paired with Malinski, I think we have guys that can play decent minutes throughout our lineup.

“If you’re just looking at the obvious, to continue the left-right theme, a left shot would go a long way. And if he was 6’3, 220 lbs and skates like the wind and pounds people, we’d love to find that. But those are unicorns. I don’t think we have these specifics. Just, does it make us better, and how do we get it? Is it a trade? Is there a UFA that makes us better? And if we can’t find it, then we’re gonna have great competition with some of the depth with the Eagles.

“We’ll definitely look at improving that slot one way or the other here.”

Read More: Avalanche Select UMass Defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce, Two Others in 2025 NHL Entry Draft

O’Connor’s Hip Surgery

Speaking of O’Connor, the hip surgery he had was not on the same hip as the one he operated on in 2024. So, thankfully, it’s not a re-aggravated injury.

Coaching Staff Hires

The Avs still need a new power-play coach to assist on Jared Bednar’s staff. They also need to replace Aaron Schneekloth and Dan Hinote, who departed the AHL Colorado Eagles for NHL jobs this summer.

“We have got a lot of great candidates, and that process is ongoing,” MacFarland said of the AHL openings. “Similar here with our assistant coach position. I don’t know exactly the timeline, but I would like it to be sooner, rather than later, that we get those three positions filled.”

The Sidney Crosby Rumors Reached The Front Office

MacFarland was jokingly asked about how Georges Laraque’s tweet, and eventually Kevin Weekes’ coded comments on live television sort of led to this crazy idea that Sidney Crosby could be heading to Colorado. Did he hear about it? And if so, what was the reaction?

“You get texts. I think Joe (Sakic) got something,” he said. “You get used to it. Like most of the time it’s just good fodder, right? It’s good chatter. So obviously I’m not going to comment on rumors or other teams (players), but it makes for good hockey talk, that’s for sure.”

Somebody texting Sakic to ask if the Avs are actually getting Crosby is hilarious. Imagine trying to work through an NHL Draft and suddenly being blindsided with something like that.

The post Chris MacFarland Ahead of Free Agency: ‘We’ll Look At Every Avenue’ to Improve Roster appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — June 17.

Colorado Hockey Now

Jonathan Toews can’t officially sign until July 1 but it sounds like he’s narrowing in on a decision. According to Chris Johnston on his SDPN podcast, it sounds like the 37-year-old is deciding between the Winnipeg Jets and the Avs.

Both teams make a lot of sense for the three-time Stanley Cup champion. Toews is from Winnipeg and would be returning home to be a useful centerman for a franchise that needs depth at that position. The Avs have addressed their center depth needs with recent acquisitions of Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, and Jack Drury. But Toews would still be a welcoming add.

Anytime they can get their hands on a veteran depth piece, it helps. And Toews, who grew up a big fan of Joe Sakic, wears No. 19 for that reason. He would obviously need to change his number if he chose Colorado as his next destination. But we’ll bark up that tree if the time comes.

I still wonder which route the Avs take at the forward position this summer. On defense, it’s no question in my mind that they badly need to remake their D core past the first pair. How much they do will be determined.

But at forward, they can either shore up the depth on the bottom two lines or make a big swing in their top six. If the more unlikely route is the one they choose, I’ve been mulling over a trade scenario for the last handful of weeks that could make sense. Read more about it below.

Read More: Necas for Peterka: Are the Avalanche Positioned for a Sneaky One-for-One Trade?

The first six names for each of the 12 nations partaking in the 2026 Winter Olympics were announced earlier in the week. Four Avs are among them.

Gabe Landeskog, Sweden

Martin Necas, Czechia

Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Canada

Read More: Offseason Musings: Rumors Galore — An Avalanche of Opportunities to Explore

Stanley Cup Final Series

Game 1: EDM 4-3 OT (Series: 1-0 EDM)
Game 2: FLA 5-4 OT (Series: 1-1 tied)
Game 3: FLA 6-1 (Series: 2-1 FLA)
Game 4: EDM 5-4 OT (Series: 2-2 tied)
Game 5: FLA 5-2 (Series: 3-2 FLA)
Game 6: EDM at FLA (Tuesday, June 17)
Game 7: FLA at EDM (Friday, June 20)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Evgeni Malkin is entering the last year of his contract. Is this going to be the end of his NHL career?

Florida Hockey Now: The hype in Florida is growing as the Panthers look to win their second Stanley Cup in a row on home ice.

Detroit Hockey Now: Isaac Howard doesn’t want to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Should the Michigan State star be a target for the Red Wings?

The post Deen’s Daily: Avalanche Among Finalists for Jonathan Toews; Winter Olympics Preliminary Rosters appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Landeskog, 32, has not donned the Tre Kroner sweater since he played in the 2019 World Championships. He’ll make his return to international play following a nearly three-year absence from professional hockey. Landeskog last played in a regular-season NHL game in March 2022 and, before his Game 3 comeback in Denver this past playoff run, had not dressed since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final when the Avs won the championship  on June 26, 2022.

His miraculous comeback already has him on Team Sweden’s radar, something that felt unlikely just three months ago.

Along with Landeskog, Team Sweden also announced spots for Victor Hedman, Lucas Raymond, William Nylander, Adrian Kempe, and Rasmus Dahlin.

Twelve nations will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics from Feb. 6-22. Each nation is revealing the first six names of their preliminary roster throughout the day on Monday.

Each nation’s roster is listed below.

Canada

• Sidney Crosby, C, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
• Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche
• Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
• Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
• Sam Reinhart, RW, Florida Panthers

Czechia

• David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins
• Pavel Zacha, C, Boston Bruins
• Martin Necas, RW, Colorado Avalanche
• Ondrej Palat, RW, New Jersey Devils
• Radko Gudas, D, Anaheim Ducks
• Lukas Dostal, G, Anaheim Ducks

Denmark

• Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Winnipeg Jets (UFA)
• Frederik Andersen, G, Carolina Hurricanes
• Lars Eller, C, Washington Capitals
• Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
• Jonas Rondbjerg, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
• Jesper Jensen Abo, D, EC-KAC (ICEHL)

France

• Yohann Auvitu, D, HC Vítkovice (Czechia)
• Jules Boscq, D, HPK (Liiga)
• Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C, HC Ajoie (NL)
• Hugo Gallet, D, Tappara (Liiga)
• Jordann Perret, RW, Mountfield HK, (Czechia)
• Alexandre Texier, C, St. Louis Blues

Finland

• Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes
• Mikko Rantanen, RW, Dallas Stars
• Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panther
• Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars
• Esa Lindell, D, Dallas Stars
• Juuse Saros, G, Nashville Predators

Germany

• Lukas Reichel, LW, Chicago Blackhawks
• Nico Sturm, C, Florida Panthers
• Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton Oilers
• Tim Stutzle, C, Ottawa Senators
• Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings
• Philipp Grubauer, G, Seattle Kraken

Italy

• Diego Kostner, F, HC Ambrì-Piotta (NL)
• Daniel Mantenuto, F, HC Bolzano (ICEHL)
• Tommy Purdeller, F, HC Pustertal (ICEHL)
• Luca Zanatta, D, HC Pustertal (ICEHL)
• Thomas Larkin, D, Schwenninger Wild Wings (DEL)
• Damian Clara, G, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Latvia

• Rodrigo Abols, C, Philadelphia Flyers
• Zemgus Girgensons, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
• Teddy Blueger, C, Vancouver Canucks
• Uvis Balinskis, D, Florida Panthers
• Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus Blue Jackets
• Arturs Silovs, G, Vancouver Canucks

Slovakia

• Martin Pospisil, C, Calgary Flames
• Tomas Tatar, LW, EV Zug (NL)
• Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Montreal Canadiens
• Simon Nemec, D, New Jersey Devils
• Erik Cernak, D, Tampa Bay Lightning
• Martin Fehervary, D, Washington Capitals

Sweden

• Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Colorado Avalanche
• Lucas Raymond, LW, Detroit Red Wings
• William Nylander, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Adrian Kempe, RW, Los Angeles Kings
• Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
• Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

Switzerland

• Kevin Fiala, LW, Los Angeles Kings
• Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey Devils
• Timo Meier, RW, New Jersey Devils
• Nino Niederreiter, RW, Winnipeg Jets
• Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators
• Jonas Siegenthaler, D, New Jersey Devils

United States

• Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights
• Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks
• Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
• Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins
• Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators
• Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Florida Panthers

The post Landeskog Named To Team Sweden’s Preliminary 2026 Winter Olympic Roster appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — June 10.

Colorado Hockey Now

Ray Bennett was fired just over a month ago by the Avalanche, but he’s officially back in the game. Patrick Roy hired the former Avs assistant coach to join his staff on Long Island.

When Roy resigned in August 2016, Jared Bednar kept Nolan Pratt as a holdover from Roy’s staff and hired Bennett. Coincidentally, it’s Bennett now that’s heading over to work for Roy, along with former Avs defenseman and Roy’s former teammate, Bob Boughner.

A Clean Sheet: Gabe Landeskog

Last week I was invited by the wonderful team at Fresh Tape Media to attend a pre-screening event for the finale of Gabe Landeskog’s documentary. The episode was released ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday, but this event took place the night before.

My wife and I both attended, and it was honestly one of the nicest NHL-related events I’ve attended. The episode was great — as were the stories Landeskog told afterward. (The one about his son pretending to be Cale Makar was hilarious).

Landeskog and I spent some time catching up before the screening, and he was very nice to my wife and chatted with her for a bit, too.

The entire event brought me back. Back to 2011 when I was a young fan excited for the Avs to draft this Swedish kid that was, at the time, highly regarded as a future NHL captain. It brought me back to the professional relationship I built with him from 2019-2022, leading up to the Stanley Cup championship.

It brought me back to congratulating him on the ice in Tampa Bay and how much he enjoyed soaking in the moment of that successful Cup run. It brought me back to the many, many pressers we’ve had with him over the past three years, often to announce a surgery, a setback, anything but his return.

And it brought me back to the Colorado Eagles conditioning assignment and his eventual return in the playoffs.

At that event on Sunday, Landeskog was just another guy who loved hockey. But over the past three years, he’s been so much more. He mentioned many times how he’s excited to spend the offseason improving his game rather than trying to get healthy. It truly does feel like a reborn career — one that hopefully isn’t anywhere close to being over.

They say when you do the job I, and many others do, as credentialed NHL media, you no longer cheer for teams. You cheer for players. For individual stories. For people.

You’ll never find me anywhere but in Landeskog’s corner. I’ll always root for that guy.

If you haven’t yet, you should absolutely take the time to catch the entire six-part documentary. The team at Fresh Tape Media did an excellent job. Good people run that company.

Use promo code Deen10 for 25% off an annual subscription to this article and ALL future CHN+ content.

Read More: Deen’s View: Nelson Deal Sets the Table — Now the Real Work Begins for the Avalanche (+)

Stanley Cup Final Recap

Game 3: The Panthers absolutely mugged the Oilers in Game 3 on Monday. It was the first home game in Florida of the series and they took complete control. Florida won 6-1, thanks largely to a handful of irresponsible penalties taken by Edmonton (before things got ugly). I don’t want to say Game 4 is a must win for Connor McDavid and the Oilers given how last year went. But it’s getting pretty close to that.

Stanley Cup Final Series

Game 1: EDM 4-3 OT (Series: 1-0 EDM)
Game 2: FLA 5-4 OT (Series: 1-1 tied)
Game 3: FLA 6-1 (Series: 2-1 FLA)
Game 4: EDM at FLA (Thursday, June 12)
Game 5: FLA at EDM (Saturday, June 14)
Game 6: EDM at FLA (Tuesday, June 17)
Game 7: FLA at EDM (Friday, June 20)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins are one of two teams rumored to be going hard after Vegas defenseman Nic Hague.

Montreal Hockey Now: The Habs are the other team. Is there a fit for Hague in Montreal?

NYI Hockey Now: How Roy’s staff is shaping up after these last two hires.

Vegas Hockey Now: This was a whopper on Monday. The Golden Knights reportedly spoke to Toronto and Carolina about a three-way trade around the deadline that would’ve landed Mitch Marner in Vegas. Guess who would’ve ended up in his place in Toronto?

The post Deen’s Daily: Landeskog Documentary Finale; Panthers Stomp Oilers; Bennett Hired in NY appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.