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.

READ MORE: Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Gambling with Necas, EJ and Kiviranta Updates, Goaltending Tandem, & More

Question from Walter Nieuwlandt

Is Pavel Zacha a good third line target?

Aarif’s Response

This would honestly be an excellent pickup, but I just don’t think the Avs have the assets needed to acquire him. To me, Zacha is a perfect third line center that can also play up the lineup as needed. He’s good enough to play 2C if injuries arise or if Brock Nelson struggles at any point.

Basically, he would play the Ross Colton role with more offensive upside and as a more natural centerman. He’s also a big body, listed as 6’3, 206 lbs, and kills penalties. At only $4.75 million and 28 years old, I’d take that all day.

But again, I’m not entirely sure what Colorado could offer that would make sense for the Bruins.

Question from Sasha Landprecht

Are there any players the Avs will target for PTO?

Aarif’s Response

I can’t say who specifically, but you can expect at least one PTO at training camp this year. The Avs love inviting veterans to camp on tryouts to see if anyone can play their way onto the roster. We saw it last year with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, albeit that didn’t end in a contract. But in the past, guys like Joel Kiviranta, Jack Johnson and if you go way back, Jack Skille have gained contracts after successful training camp PTOs.

I’d imagine it’ll be guys lower down the list of remaining free agents.

Question from Doug

Are the Avs at a disadvantage from a state income tax perspective? Should we expect Nevada, Texas, and Florida teams to always be a little better than they might otherwise be?

Aarif’s Response

In the flat cap era, it was easier for these teams to flex that advantage. And there’s a reason why five of the last six Stanley Cup champions are teams in Florida or Nevada. (Kudos to the Avs for being the one outlier).

But with the cap rising, I just don’t think it’s going to matter as much since more than half the league will likely have a cap surplus. You can finally entice a player with an overpayment to keep him away from a no-tax state because you’ll actually have the cap space to do so.

The problem is, the damage was already done to help some of these teams. I don’t believe being in Florida helps attract free agents. But I do believe it helps keep the guys you already have. Look at the contracts Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad, and Tampa’s Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul signed. Those aren’t the types of deals you’re getting in Colorado. If the Avs had a no-state advantage, it could’ve possibly helped them keep Nazem Kadri in 2022, for example.

So even though I don’t think it’ll be as big of an advantage moving forward, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Ekblad, Reinhart, and Hagel are still playing out those contracts while in their primes.

I do think this general conversation will slowly go away over the next five years.

Question from Henri

What can we expect from the Avs 30th anniversary season announcement coming within the next week or two?

Aarif’s Response

We’ve all see the reports that they’re planning on bringing back the Nordiques sweater, so that’s something I’d expect to be announced then (if it’s true).

But I also wish they’d play a few games in the diagonal ‘Colorado’ word mark burgundy third jersey from the early 2000s. That was the first alternate sweater they ever had, and it was worn by Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg, Paul Kariya, and Teemu Selanne. A lot of legends donned that sweater. Bring it back.

Also, I would like to see some of those legends come back for pre-game ceremonies throughout the season to honor past accomplishments and moments over the past 30 years.

Maybe when the Islanders are in town on Nov. 17, they can do a pregame ceremony remembering the day Roy passed Terry Sawchuk in wins.

When the Canucks are in town, we can do a flashback to a great Foote moment. And on other days, we can celebrate the other legends. When did Bob Hartley win his 100th game as head coach? Bring him back around that day to celebrate the anniversary. Thirty years is a long time. This team has a ton of history worth remembering.

I just hope it’s a little bit different this time around, and we can see some of those faces we haven’t seen in years. Perhaps a visit from Ray Bourque around the trade deadline would be fun. He was acquired on March 6, 2000.

Honestly, I’d even do something with Kariya and Selanne even if their time here wasn’t the best for either of them.

But I would like to see them celebrate moments from after the lockout too. Can we get Jose Theodore here for something? How about Jarome Iginla, recalling is 600th goal. Maybe a Ryan Smyth appearance? Or even Paul Stastny?

Question from Reece

Does another first round exit spell the end for Jared Bednar and does another failed experiment (example: Brock Nelson) mean the end for Chris MacFarland?

Aarif’s Response

Honestly? I do believe it will.

We all understand the loss to Seattle in 2023 and how gutted that roster was, on top of the Gabe Landeskog injury and Valeri Nichushkin suspension. But the next two years were a giant bummer. Losing to Dallas twice was a tough look. Especially since the Avs won Game 1 both times.

This year should put a lot of pressure on both the head coach and GM. I’m a big fan of Bednar, but results are all that matter now. Nathan MacKinnon will be 30 years old this upcoming season, and you can’t keep wasting his prime years.

If this talented Avs roster doesn’t play well enough in the regular season to win the division or at least have home-ice advantage, then that could lead to a tough first-round opponent, and potentially a loss. That’s still a fireable offense for not getting better playoff positioning.

And if they do finish first or second in the Central, and get upset by the lower seed, I think that’s also a fireable offense for both of them.

Unless something completely crazy happens. Like I’m talking season-ending injuries to Cale Makar and MacKinnon, I can’t find a reason that would excuse another first-round loss. Potentially even a second-round loss (if it’s to Dallas again).

Question from Rudy Volz

Who is the best Joe Pavelski puck deflector on the Avs that can help point shooters?

Aarif’s Response

It’s either Landeskog or Nichushkin. Having both of them fully healthy at the same time again will be fun.

I didn’t love Landeskog playing in different spots on the PP after his return in the postseason, but Ray Bennett is gone, so I imagine that’ll somewhat change.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

Who do you have on your bingo card for 3C, assuming it’s not Drury? I think he needs time at 4C to develop his game.

Aarif’s Response

I’ve talking about choices like J.T. Compher (with salary retained) in the past. But I honestly have no idea what they do here anymore. I can see so many different scenarios play out.

What if during training camp, another team has a young center earn a roster spot and it makes a veteran expendable? Avs could probably trade for whoever that guy is.

What if Avs decide to let Jack Drury start the season at 3C to see what they have? And what if it doesn’t go as well as you’d want? Then you’re back to scouring the trade market for someone else.

What if the security blanket is Ross Colton, and putting him back at center if Drury doesn’t do well there? I don’t love that idea, but that could be a possibility.

In the end, I think they’ll have a different 3C after the trade deadline, I just don’t know when they’ll get that guy.

But I also really don’t want to rule out the idea of Drury developing into that role. It’s not the sexy option, but it’s still very possible. Drury is 25 and entering only his third full NHL season. How he plays this year will probably say a lot about how the rest of his career will look.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

The Avs also need a LD, or two of them, if they trade Samuel Girard. Who’s a good fit and available? I know Mario Ferraro may be.

Aarif’s Response

Ferraro is a reasonable option.

I honestly wouldn’t mind Matt Grzelcyk on the third pair. But only if you’re trading Girard for someone else to beef up the left side on one of the pairs. Grzelcyk is also a UFA, so you wouldn’t have to give up assets to get him.

If they trade Girard, I’d love to see them acquire a solid No. 3 option. I’ve written about it before, but I always loved how the prime Chicago Blackhawks had Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Nik Hjalmarsson as their three-headed monster on defense. And then there would be a drop-off for the remaining three guys.

Ivan Provorov could’ve been a UFA target, but he was way overpaid by Columbus. K’Andre Miller as a trade target would’ve made sense. Perhaps Bowen Byram could still be an option, albeit he’s not the big, beefy defenseman that would fit the bill.

What about one of Seattle’s towering blue liners? They have Vince Dunn, Jamie Oleksiak, and Ryan Lindgren all on the left side. Maybe they’ll make Oleksiak available.

An off-the-radar type of guy for me would also be Alex Vlasic from Chicago. But I can’t think of any reason why they’d trade him. I would like to see them find a way to bring in someone younger like that, though.

Question from Karl Keen

You posted on the Avs’ Nordiques jersey rumor. But given it is an anniversary season, any inkling that the Avs would just update their home and road jerseys, including altering the logo a bit? I feel like the jerseys are pretty outdated at this point in time.

Aarif’s Response

I don’t think that’s happening. The logo might be outdated to some but it’s a classic for this franchise. The Avs have rarely altered their jersey designs in general since 1995-96, let alone the logo. When Adidas took over in 2017, they pretty much went back to the same design before Reebok in 2007.

I’m not entirely sure why they defaulted to the ‘unipron’ that Reebok offered, but I’m glad those days are long gone.

Anyway, I just can’t see them changing the logo anytime soon.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Avalanche’s 30th Anniversary, Pressure on Bednar and MacFarland, Trading for Zacha, & More 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.

Every year with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar is an all-in year. But things haven’t gone well for three seasons now, and there are many reasons why.

But here we are. The 2025-26 season is upon us with a healthy Gabe Landeskog, solid goaltending, a No. 2 centerman, an available Valeri Nichushkin, and a full season of Martin Necas. Jared Bednar is still the head coach, despite losing to Pete DeBoer and the Dallas Stars in consecutive years. But with Ray Bennett taking the fall this year, it sure feels like the pressure is ramped up now for the longtime Avs bench boss.

And that doesn’t even explain the pressure Chris MacFarland is probably feeling as general manager. MacFarland, who was elevated to the role following the 2022 Stanley Cup championship, traded Mikko Rantanen last January after failing to reach an agreement on an extension. Rantanen went on to bury the Avs with a hat trick in the third period of Game 7 in the first round.

The coach is coming back. The GM is staying on board. They signed Brock Nelson, they have Landeskog, Nichushkin, Devon Toews, Cale Makar, and Artturi Lehkonen — all key pieces from 2022. This team has a lot on the line, and we’ll see how it unfolds in a pivotal year.

I’m curious to see what Necas looks like after a full training camp and season with the Avs. For the first time in four years, Landeskog is spending his offseason training to get better rather than rehabbing a knee injury. Will he be the same Landeskog we’re used to? Is Mackenzie Blackwood primed to take another step after saving the Avs from their goalie troubles?

Is Nelson going to succeed in his role, or will he join the likes of Ryan Johansen and Casey Mittelstadt as failed No. 2 centermen behind MacKinnon?

There’s more. Who’s going to play at 3C? What depth options are they looking to add?

These are all obvious storylines we’re keeping an eye on.

But there are others that I’m following. Three, specifically, that intrigue and interest me.

Can Valeri Nichushkin Stay (Physically) Healthy and Be the 2023-24 Goal Scorer We Saw? 

Last season ended with Nichushkin still in the lineup, which in itself was an improvement from the previous two years. But his offense sort of took a dip (for his standards) after a New Year’s Eve injury kept him out of the lineup for an extended period. And in the playoffs, he wasn’t the guy he needed to be. Nichushkin finished with three goals and an assist in seven games.

Back in 2023-24, Nichushkin, when in the lineup, was a goal scoring machine. He had a career-high 28 goals despite playing just 54 games. And that was followed up with an insane nine goals in eight games in the postseason. Basically, he scored 37 goals in 62 total games, which extrapolates to 49 goals over 82 games. He was in fire.

Can he be that guy again? And if so, should he be on the top line with MacKinnon now that Rantanen is gone? That’s something I’ll be keeping an eye on.

Where Are the Avs Going to Play Samuel Girard?

I still stand by the thought that the team had and continues to have plans to trade Girard. Why? Because they tried to sign Ryan Lindgren in the days leading up to July 1 before he landed with the Seattle Kraken.

Lindgren was brought in ahead of the trade deadline and became the second-most used left-shot defenseman behind Devon Toews. So, where does that leave Girard? Were they planning on playing him with Sam Malinski on the third pair? I really find that hard to believe.

But the Lindgren signing didn’t happen, and they instead brought in Brent Burns. That means Girard is one of just two lefties on the back end.

Last year, Girard was the only other defenseman to average more than 20 minutes per game in the regular season behind the top pair. He was far and away the No. 3 defenseman during the regular season.

In the playoffs? That was far from reality. Girard played the first two games on the third pair with Erik Johnson and was fifth in time on ice. In the remaining five games, he was with Josh Manson on the second pair but was often playing fewer minutes than Lindgren.

The Avs clearly see less of a role for him than in years past. And it’s part of the reason why I think they’re still trying to trade him. If they weren’t keen on keeping Charlie Coyle in a third-line role at his salary, I can’t see them keeping Girard at $5 million to play a career-low 17 minutes like he did in the seven-game series loss to Dallas.

Who is the Avs’ Version of Ross Colton? 

When the Lightning traded Colton to Colorado two years ago, it was largely because they couldn’t re-sign him to a contract that could fit under their salary cap. Colton is a winner. He scored the Stanley Cup deciding goal in 2021 for Tampa Bay and was a great depth piece in 2022 when they lost to the Avs.

But since coming to Colorado, he hasn’t had a chance to entirely be himself. Bednar shifted him to center in 2023-24 — a position he’d not played before at the NHL level. Colton did an admirable job, but it wasn’t a perfect fit, even if his line with Miles Wood and Logan O’Connor was solid all throughout the year.

Just a month into the 2024-25 season, Colton was on the wing in Colorado for the first time with MacKinnon and Rantanen and was scoring at will. At one point, He was top three in the league in goals.

Colton has the ability to play with star talent, he’s better on the wing, and he’s the type of guy that you win with. He just needs to be set up for success. That means having the ability to be a Swiss army knife in the top nine with three consistent centermen.

His buddy Wood is no longer around. There’s been zero talk of Colton shifting back to center. As long as the Avs use him appropriately, I’d expect a big year for Colton, for his standards.

I’ve spoken a lot about the idea of trading him, but it was more or less for cap reasons. With Coyle and Wood gone, they can afford to keep him. And it would be smart to do that while we wait to see if Necas commits long term.

Who is the Avs’ version of Ross Colton? Can he have his best season in his third year?

The post 3 Under-the-Radar Avalanche Storylines to Follow This Season appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

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.

Thanks again to everyone who submitted a question!

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Stanley Cup Window, Offseason vs Mid-Season Trades, and the Landeskog Effect

Question from Taro Tsujimoto

The post Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Necas’ Next Contract, Trade Value, and Bottom-Six Depth Uncertainty 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.

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

Here are my responses from a quick Avalanche Mailbag ahead of the NHL Draft.

Question From Scott

Do you think the Avs make a trade before the end of the NHL Draft and if so who do you think gets traded?

Aarif’s Response

I do think there will be a trade this weekend at some point. Whether it’s for roster players, or cap-clearing moves to set them up for additions on July 1. The Avs have two picks in the draft, and I don’t think they’re going to trade for additional picks. That means their priority this weekend is mostly the trade market and figuring out ways to maneuver off cap space.

So in short, yes. I do see at least one trade happening this weekend. If I had to predict one name right now, I’d say it’s Samuel Girard.

Question From Gabriel Gingras

I really like Jordan Kyrou as a player, with Martin Necas rumored to seek a big deal, do you think a deal between division rivals of Necas for Kyrou would make sense ?

Aarif’s Response

Kyrou is a fine player, but this type of trade wouldn’t make sense for the Blues. They’d be trading a young forward with cost certainty for one who needs a new contract and will more than likely make more than Kyrou.

The Blues need help on defense, and they’re rumored to be interested in Bowen Byram. They were also in on Noah Dobson. If they deal Kyrou, I’d imagine it’s for help on the blueline.

The post Avalanche Mailbag: Defense Upgrades, Necas Extension, Offloading Salary, & More appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.