I often have several thoughts that come to mind, but none that are enough to write an entire article about. But some have been worthy of sharing.

With that, I’d like to introduce the first Offseason Musings of the year.

Throughout the summer, I’m going to release pieces like this as often as needed. What ever is on my mind, I’ll jot it down for all of us to discuss in the comments section. I have 10 musings today, but I’m not going to cap them at any specific number.

On this edition, I’ll uncover my thoughts on the most recent trade around the league and several opportunities the Avs could explore to improve their roster.

1. The Chris Kreider trade is a reminder that any contract and player is tradable. His game fell way off this year, and the Rangers still managed to get off his $6.5 million deal while upgrading from a fourth-round draft pick to a third (and sending a prospect the other way).

I only mention this because I know many are wondering how the Avalanche are going to get out of the Miles Wood contract — if that’s the route they want to take.

The rising salary cap means several teams have a lot of cap space that needs to be used to reach the floor. For this season and beyond. Having someone like Wood on the fourth line making 2.5 million makes sense for one of those clubs. Not so much for the Avalanche.

Let’s use the Chicago Blackhawks as an example. They already have 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies under contract for next season, with nearly $30 million in cap space to spare. They’re also $4 million from the cap floor.

I’m not saying that’s what will happen with Wood, I’m just saying it’s very much possible.

2. Trade and free agent rumors are in full force right now, and it’s honestly interesting to hear some of the names Colorado might be targeting, and the players the team is considering trading.

In years past, I wouldn’t believe that someone like Charlie Coyle is on the market. But now? You never know.

Chris MacFarland and the front office have proven time and time again that they have zero issues moving off a player that was just acquired. They have no problem trading players with term (like Samuel Girard), and they aren’t afraid to reset their depth.

With that being said, Pierre LeBrun wonders about a fit for Jonathan Toews in Colorado. Would he play on the wing? Or would they trade Coyle and free up a spot for Jack Drury and Toews to center the bottom two lines?

3. The Dallas Stars ended the postseason 9-9. They weren’t as good as they should’ve been, and that’s part of the reason why Pete DeBoer is out of a job. It just serves as another reminder that the Avs really let one slip away here.

I don’t believe Winnipeg would’ve beat Colorado. I also can’t say for sure that the Avalanche would’ve eliminated Edmonton. But even if not, they would’ve at least made it to the Western Conference Final and put up a better fight than the Stars did.

Despite the disappointing first round series loss, the Avs’ roster is already loaded with talent far greater than what they’ve had on opening night in any of the last three years. I expect a massive redemption season, which will include a No. 1 seed in the Central Division.

4. Speaking of the Stars, having Mikko Rantanen fall into their laps has completely changed their salary cap outlook. It sounds like they made that move with the thought in mind that it’ll lead to a Jason Robertson trade. And that’s fine. Rantanen is a better player, and they weren’t all that happy with negotiations with Robertson the last time he was up for a new deal.

Between the changes coming to their core and a new head coach on the horizon, I really wonder how much of a threat they’ll be next season.

5. The Brock Nelson contract is a tidy piece of business from MacFarland. The initial sticker shock was very much a thing, but once other deals are handed out on July 1, Nelson’s will look better.

Getting the 2C thing figured out before the draft and free agency is also a smart play. It allows the front office an opportunity to focus on other priorities.

6. I still think their next move should be to upgrade their defense after Cale Makar and Devon Toews. The Avs need a three-headed monster on the blueline. When Chicago was winning all those Stanley Cups, they had Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Niklas Hjalmarsson playing heavy minutes. The other three defensemen were more interchangeable. This is part of the reason why I was on the Seth Jones bandwagon a few months ago.

7. This obviously would mean Girard needs to get traded. I like the player and have defended him for years, but I do believe he’s reached his ceiling and the Avs need more from their third-best defenseman.

Could they get into a bidding war for Ivan Provorov? Maybe. But I’d imagine they prefer a trade candidate rather than a potential free agency overpayment. That’s traditionally how this current front office iteration has operated.

How about K’Andre Miller?

8. Seeing Corey Perry and Brad Marchand thrive in the Stanley Cup Final should serve as another reminder that even though the league is getting younger, the older veterans aren’t going to just fizzle out.

This generation’s athlete takes care of their bodies more than ever before. I don’t believe aging curves are what they used to be, at least not for everyone. This is why the Avs should’ve signed Nazem Kadri back in 2022. Sure, he was going to be 32 when the season began, but even his play over the last three years in Calgary has proven that he isn’t slowing down.

Keep that in mind when thinking about Nelson’s deal. Or the fact that Colorado might look at other veterans to round out their roster. You need a veteran mix in the room, even if they play bigger roles than Andrew Cogliano, Darren Helm, and both Erik and Jack Johnson did three years ago.

9. I’m going to address the elephant in the room in a separate article. That being Martin Necas and the fact that he needs a new contract soon.

I’m in the camp that if the Avs moved on from Rantanen to not pay three stars a large portion of the cap, then Necas for anything more than the $9.25 million Rantanen made on his last deal should not be an option. Go all in on spreading the wealth and find someone else to attach to Nathan MacKinnon. Maybe someone younger than Necas.

10. I love the creativity we’re seeing around the league with deferred salary and long-term extensions for guys that are clearly not going to play through their deals (see Chris Tanev and eventually John Tavares).

The best way to win in a hard cap league is to be creative. We saw the Avs flex some of that this past year with the goaltending trades, etc. But they have to find more ways to be creative and give themselves the best chance to win.

For starters, I would not be surprised in the least bit if Logan O’Connor starts the season on long-term injury reserve and his money is used elsewhere. By the time O’Connor is ready to return, they can do something creative to clear the space.

The post Offseason Musings: Rumors Galore — An Avalanche of Opportunities to Explore appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — May 30.

Colorado Hockey Now

The offseason often gains momentum in June, and we’re just days away from the start of it. Hard to believe the draft is only 29 days away, and free agency follows quickly.

The Avs have some questions that need to be answered, but none bigger than filling the gaping hole at 2C. Could Nelson still be an option? It seems like it, but I do wonder if this is offseason fodder reporting at this time of year.

Nelson is going to have a lot of suitors offering a lot of money out of desperation. I’m not sure the Avs want to be one of those teams.

I wrote yesterday about centermen around the NHL that the Avs could target if Nelson moves on. I don’t imagine they’d want to get into a bidding war for Sam Bennett or John Tavares, if either of them makes it to July 1 without an extension with their current clubs.

My targets are all via trade. Colorado doesn’t have a lot of assets to move, but this front office historically builds through trades. Click the link below to see the names I’ve highlighted.

This is behind the CHN+ paywall, but promo code Deen10 gives you 25% off an annual subscription to all CHN+ content. Get on it!

Read More: 6 Trade Targets That Could Solve the Avalanche’s 2C Hole (+)

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Game 5 — Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars: The Oilers absolutely dominated the close-out game and the series as a whole. They defeated Dallas 6-3 at American Airlines Center to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season.

Edmonton will face the Florida Panthers, which sets up a Stanley Cup Final rematch for the first time since 2008 and 2009 between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. I grew up in Detroit during those two seasons, and it was some of the best hockey and drama I’ve seen. Rematches are a lot of a fun and loaded with potential to spark the hockey world. This will be no different.

As for Dallas… DeBoer gambled big time when he pulled Jake Oettinger. It didn’t work. And now I can’t help but wonder what his future with the team will look like. The image of Oettinger skating away from the bench to return to his crease, only to be called back with a finger waving him to get off the ice, isn’t going to sit well.

The exit interviews might very well determine DeBoer’s future. Oettinger’s new contract kicks in next season. His cap hit rises from $4 million to $8.25 million for the next eight years. If he’s unhappy, Jim Nill might be forced to make a change behind the bench.

Mikko Rantanen was quiet, and we’ve all seen this before. He’s a streaky scorer. When he’s on his game, he’s one of the best in the world. But when he’s not, it shows. What strikes me most about how the playoffs unfolded for Dallas was that when Rantanen wasn’t going, the Stars were an offensive mess. They couldn’t generate much. It’s a disappointment he had his best stretch of play at the worst possible time for Colorado.

I wonder where Dallas would be if Rantanen didn’t wake up from Games 5-7 in the first round. It’s still a shame he ended up there. But that’s in the past.

Tonight’s Schedule

Stanley Cup Final begins on June 4 in Edmonton.

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: David Quinn is still under contract with the Pens as an assistant coach. But could he be an option for Mike Sullivan’s staff in New York?

Montreal Hockey Now: This is the year the Habs should be aggressive. That includes first-round draft picks and top prospects.

Philadelphia Hockey Now: The Flyers re-signed Tyson Foerster. Also, could they be an option for a top goalie on the market? It would be one heck of an addition for a head coach who has familiarity.

NYI Hockey Now: Kyle Palmieri is remaining on Long Island. He was one of two signings for Mathieu Darche on Friday.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings are trying to bring a pro goalie from Czechia. If it works, it would be a UFA that could make an impact. (I’m getting flashbacks to when the Avs got Pavel Francouz.)

Florida Hockey Now: Matthew Tkachuk was on the Pat McAfee Show to discuss what he believes is a rematch between the two best teams in the league. It’s hard to argue with that.

The post Deen’s Daily: Avs 2C Trade Options; DeBoer’s Gamble; Stanley Cup Final REMATCH! appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — May 13.

Colorado Hockey Now

Yesterday, I published the fourth and final mailbag from the questions collected the day after the Avs lost Game 7. In this one, I looked ahead to the offseason and beyond. Who should the Avs keep? Who should they trade? Who should they target in free agency? Is Brock Nelson going to re-sign? Click below to read my responses.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 4.0: Clearing Cap Space, Offseason Changes & Should Avs Re-Sign Nelson?

Also, Nazem Kadri set social media ablaze when he threw shade at Avs management while Mikko Rantanen was in the middle of another great performance with the Stars. Kadri was backing his former teammate. But was there more to his post?

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Game 4 — Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes: The Hurricanes traded Jack Drury and Martin Necas for Rantanen, then they traded him for Logan Stankoven while also adding Taylor Hall and Mark Jankowski along the way. Despite all of that, Rod Brind’Amour’s club is one win away from the Eastern Conference Final. They beat the Capitals 5-2 in Game 4 to push Washington to the brink of elimination.

Game 4 — Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers: Stuart Skinner has arrived. After starting 0-3 in the postseason with an .817 save percentage, the Oilers goaltender recorded a shutout in a 3-0 Game 4 victory over the Golden Knights to put Edmonton up 3-1 in the series. The Oilers, who relied on Calvin Pickard to win six straight games, are now one win away from heading back to the Western Conference Final.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 4: Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars (6 pm MT on ESPN)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Kyle Dubas has a lot of salary cap to play with this offseason. Should he spend right up to the cap ceiling again?

New Jersey Hockey Now: Three bold offer sheet targets for the Devils this summer.

Philly Hockey Now: Breaking down two more draft options for the Flyers.

NYI Hockey Now: It’s been three weeks since the Islanders let go of Lou Lamoriello, and they still don’t have a new general manager. What gives?

San Jose Hockey Now: The latest Sharks Mailbag covers how San Jose should improve its roster this summer.

The post Deen’s Daily: Stuart Skinner Has Arrived; Canes Win Again; What Should Avs Do at 2C? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

Rule number one : You always keep the dawgs … #96

— Nazem Kadri (@43_Kadri) May 11, 2025

“Rule number one: you always keep the dawgs …. #96,” his post on X/Twitter read.

Kadri was, of course, referring to the trade that shipped Rantanen out of Colorado in January. Rantanen was his teammate when the Avs won the Stanley Cup in 2022 in what was arguably the most talented roster we’ve seen in the salary cap era.

Entering unrestricted free agency that summer, Kadri, who had a career year before his historic run in the playoffs, didn’t end up re-signing with the Avalanche following a summer of celebrations. Instead, Kadri locked in a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames. The Avs tried to keep him, but couldn’t make the money work. After signing Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson, and Valeri Nichushkin, there wasn’t much left to keep the fan favorite.

Kadri waited more than a month before signing. His first choice was to stay with the Avalanche — the flat cap made it tough.

All these years later, I wonder if there was more to Kadri’s post yesterday.

On one hand, it’s obvious that he’s rooting for his former teammate and good friend. Kadri and Rantanen are good buddies to this day and still keep in touch. But, was there an extra bit of shade being thrown at Avs management for not keeping him, too?

After all, Kadri is the second-line center that got away. The Avs have tried time and time again to pay a wealth of assets to replace him, but haven’t yet succeeded.

The post Nazem Kadri Throws Shade at Avalanche’s Management — Was There More to His Post? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — May 12.

Colorado Hockey Now

Nathan MacKinnon had another goal, and a loaded Team Canada rolled Team Latvia 7-1 on Sunday. The Canadians improved to 2-0, this time with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal to lead the way.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 3.0: Landeskog’s Return, MacKinnon’s Comments, Goaltending, & More

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Game 3 — Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars: Mikko Rantanen keeps on producing. The leading scorer in the playoffs had a goal and two assists to lift Dallas to a 5-2 victory and a 2-1 series lead in the second round. The Stars have won four straight games at home following the Game 1 loss to Colorado on April 19. And they’ll have a chance to grab a stranglehold of the series in Game 4 at American Airlines Center.

Game 4 — Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers: After three games of struggles, Sergei Bobrovsky locked in for the Florida Panthers and shut down everything Toronto sent his way. Which, admittedly, wasn’t much. The Leafs had their worst performance of the postseason and were shutout 2-0. They were outshot 37-23 and wasted a solid performance from their goalie, Joseph Woll. Suddenly, we’re all tied at 2-2 as the series shifts back to Toronto for a pivitol Game 5.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 4: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes (5 pm MT on TNT & truTV)
• Game 4: Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (7:30 MT on TNT & truTV)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Sidney Crosby teaming up with Fleury to help Canada get the win is still one of my favorite things about this tournament. It would be fun to watch them win Gold together.

Montreal Hockey Now: Habs Wrap: First round draft targets, pick order, Nick Suzuki.

Philly Hockey Now: Ranking the coaching candidates on the Flyers’ radar.

San Jose Hockey Now: Is this the end of Thomas Bordeleau’s time with the Sharks? Could he be a low-cost piece for a team (ahem, the Avs) to take a chance on?

Florida Hockey Now: Max Domi’s hit on Aleksander Barkov angered the Panthers. It’ll add fuel to Game 5 in what’s becoming a must-watch series.

The post Deen’s Daily: Panthers, Leafs Series Gets Nasty; Rantanen, Stars Win at Home; Should Avs Bring In Young Sharks Forward? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

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

Colorado Hockey Now

It’s been nearly a week since Game 7, and I gotta say, I already miss it.

I’m not sure how long it’ll take until most of Avs faithful will stop feeling the sting from the loss, but the offseason ahead should be one of the more intriguing ones in recent memory. Do the Avs re-sign Brock Nelson? Will Martin Necas sign an extension this summer? What do you do with the depth defense? And the forwards. … Jonathan Drouin? Miles Wood? There’s a lot this team has to figure out.

With that being said, I floated the idea of doing player report cards to highlight the season that was for the permanent pieces of the lineup. I do want to do that. But I also want to open this up for discussion. I’m loaded with Avs roster ideas, historic knowledge, personal stories, and just a nerdy love for this game that I can write about this offseason.

So with that, what are you interested in reading? What kind of coverage would you like to see in the coming, weeks, months, and well into the offseason?

Share your ideas in the comments section, and let’s get excited for next season together. Dare I say … Is it October yet?

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Revisiting the Mikko Rantanen Saga

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Game 3 — Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers: The Leafs nearly took complete control of the series, but the Panthers erased a two-goal deficit and won in OT after noted Leaf killer Brad Marchand got the game winner. Suddenly, a pivotal Game 4 will determine will the series will land before it heads back to Toronto for Game 5.

Game 2 — Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets: After struggling to stop the puck in the first round against the St. Louis Blues, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has surrendered just three goals through two games of Round 2. Hellebuyck made 26 saves in Game 2, shutting out Rantanen and the Stars to send the series to Dallas knotted up at 1-1. The biggest test will be how the reigning Vezina Trophy winner plays on the road. He’s got two chances in Dallas to steal a game or two. For all the offensive weapons the Stars have, it’s only Rantanen’s second-period hat trick in Game 1 that has gone past Hellebuyck. Nobody else could solve him.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 3: Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes (4 pm MT on TNT & truTV)
• Game 3: Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (7 pm MT on TNT & truTV)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby were named to the NHL’s quarter-century team. So far, we know Joe Sakic was also named.

Philly Hockey Now: Noah Cates could take the Flyers to arbitration after a solid breakout season. Should the team be worried?

New Jersey Hockey Now: We’ve got changes coming to the Devils coaching staff as Sheldon Keefe gets an opportunity to bring in his own guys.

NYI Hockey Now: Could… Lou Lamoriello not be leaving after all?

Vegas Hockey Now: No suspension for Nic Roy, who was kicked out of Game 2 in OT for probably the biggest brain fart of a play I’ve seen in years. Read more from the latest Knights Notebook ahead of a big Game 3 on the road.

The post Deen’s Daily: Fans Weigh In — What Avalanche Offseason Topics Should We Tackle? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

He recorded a hat trick for the second consecutive game and broke an NHL record by factoring in on 12 consecutive goals for his team — a streak that is still active and could be extended in Game 2. Rantanen, as of right now, is the early (very early) favorite for the Conn Smythe Trophy.

I just thought it was fascinating to see him continue to build on what he did in Games 5-7 against the Avs while this was already scheduled to be posted. I can’t imagine Chris MacFarland is having fun watching this. I truly do wonder what’s going through Nathan MacKinnon’s head every time he sees his guy score goals at this epic pace.

Anyway, let’s get to what I had written before the game.

Understandably so, several of the mailbag questions were about Rantanen and his role in the Avalanche’s first-round elimination.

The Avs are probably going to see a lot of Rantanen in the postseason over the next eight years. I don’t think we’ll rehash the trade every single time, but given how Rantanen was dealt to Carolina and eliminated the Avs 99 days later with Dallas, I could see why many are still asking about him.

In the second edition of the post-playoff mailbag, I’m answering all questions related to Rantanen and the year that was for the superstar and his saga with the Avalanche.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 1.0: Coaching, Management, & What Went Wrong in the Playoffs?

Question from George

Why do you think the Avs chose to blindside Mikko and not tell him first that they would trade him?

Aarif’s Response

I think the easiest way to answer this is to look at how he performed in Carolina. If Rantanen knew the Avs were trying to trade him, it probably would’ve affected his on-ice performance before a deal was made. Granted, he only had four assists in the six-game homestand right before he was dealt, so he wasn’t playing all that great anyway.

More importantly, it would’ve angered his agent and probably led to public comments that would’ve made any trade hard to get to the finish line. Especially for the assets Colorado received. Rantanen didn’t want to leave and if he knew this was coming before it did, his agent would’ve backed him and publicly scolded the Avs for not negotiating. It would’ve been a mess.

Still, I  just don’t think it was the right move. There are layers to this and it’s why I wrote what I wrote last weekend about Chris MacFarland’s job. Trading Rantanen is a decision. There are reasons why it was made. And I get that. I agreed with it at the time and still understand why they felt they needed to do it. Even if I don’t entirely agree anymore.

But dealing him and making it a surprise blew up in the Avs’ face. Joe Sakic said on Tuesday that he and MacFarland found out that Rantanen wasn’t going to sign in Carolina the same time as all of us. That, too, is a problem.

I know they traded him in January because Carolina was contemplating dealing Martin Necas to Vancouver in a separate deal, and the Avs didn’t want to lose out on that player. But, if you’re not going to sign Rantanen, and you’re not going to work with him to pick a team in the East and sign there longterm, then you should’ve at least traded him much closer to the deadline — even if it were a surprise — so he doesn’t end up in Dallas in the same season.

Call it hindsight if you want. But they should’ve planned for these scenarios. If not, it just means they didn’t value Rantanen as the level of superstar that deserves the respect to have these scenarios planned for.

And by all accounts, that seems to be the case. I don’t believe that they only traded him because he’s a third superstar they can’t afford. I think they’re banking on him not being worth his new contract. Which might be the case in a few years (if at all). But that’s still an epic failure of a mindset to have in the prime of his career when you’re trying to win another Stanley Cup. It’s win now, isn’t it?

Question from Steve

Could MacFarland really have put a stipulation in the Rantanen trade that Carolina couldn’t trade Rantanen to a Western Conference team? I see that mentioned a lot, but was that truly an option?

Aarif’s Response

I don’t believe that’s something he could’ve done. But like I said, the best solution to this would’ve been trading him closer to March 7, to not give the second team much time to deal him again. It took Carolina about two-ish weeks before they realized that Rantanen wasn’t working there and wasn’t going to sign.

If the Avs traded him closer to deadline day, he would’ve at least been there for this postseason, which means you’re not facing him for at least this season with the Dallas Stars.

Could Rantanen have just walked on July 1 and signed with Dallas then? Yes. But it still eliminates him from this year’s first round, which would’ve given the Avs a much better shot at getting to the second round and beyond.

Question from Jeffrey Anderson

Did Mikko’s agent get too greedy and play hardball with CMac for Leon Draisaitl money? Did CMac not want to pay Mikko because of cap space, and he was our third-best superstar and he also wanted to get a return for him before Mikko left as a free agent? Maybe nobody knows what really happened?

Aarif’s Response

This is all pretty much confirmed at this point. Sakic said he knows where they were and where the agent was in negotiations at the time of the trade. MacFarland has been clear about needing to pay Cale Makar and having depth rather than paying three superstars.

But it doesn’t change the fact that the difference in their negotiations could’ve been made up over time. The agent is difficult and proved this in the 2019 negotiation. But you’re not signing the agent, you’re signing the player. You work through this stuff.

I know Nathan MacKinnon signed a full season out. So did Cale Makar. But it doesn’t always work that way.

Gabe Landeskog waited until literally the last minute before free agency before signing. Nobody ever calls him selfish for waiting until the end to get way more money than the Avs probably wanted to offer. Why is Rantanen any different for taking the same approach?

Historically, superstar players, if they’re not getting the offer they want, don’t sign in October or January. They sign closer to the trade deadline or July 1 as the two sides work on closing the gap. Especially when the player wants to stay and the team wants him to stay. But, hey, maybe they didn’t want him.

It also rubs me the wrong way that Rantanen walked into MacFarland’s office two days before the trade and told the GM that he wanted to stay and was flexible. And then he was traded 48 hours later.

Before Rantanen ever publicly shared that story, it was reported by Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos. People knew about this before Rantanen spoke to the media. So we can’t necessarily say Rantanen made it up.

Anyway, it’s all in the past. I don’t think the Avs are out of their Stanley Cup window by any means. They can win another Cup and probably beat Rantanen’s Dallas Stars on the way to it.

Question from Christopher

If you had been MacFarland, how much money would you have given to Rantanen?

Aarif’s Response

Eight years, $96 million. That was what I predicted he’d get back in 2023 when MacKinnon’s deal kicked in. That was what I still felt he’d end up with last fall after Draisaitl’s deal. And that was what he signed for in Dallas.

I know a lot happened for him and his agent to accept that number with the Stars. And the no-tax thing certainly helps. But I still believe they would’ve closed the gap in negotiations closer to the trade deadline or in June. The front office didn’t give this enough time to play out. Negotiations like this aren’t supposed to be easy.

No matter how hard a bargain the agent was driving, Rantanen didn’t want to leave. He would’ve stepped in and made sure that didn’t happen. The Avs didn’t give him a chance to get to that point, which means they didn’t value him enough to keep chugging along until that point.

The post Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Revisiting the Mikko Rantanen Saga appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

“I went through as a player as well. Sometimes things just aren’t going to go your way. I look at Cale (Makar). Like Cale played so well. He had as many chances in the playoffs as he did in the regular season on a per-game thing,” Sakic said. “It might have gotten blocked, great saves, just missing the net at times. Those things happen, but it doesn’t mean you don’t play well. Sometimes it is just not going your way. And it was bad timing for some guys. We just missed on some opportunities and we didn’t capitalize.”

The Avalanche’s former franchise forward said the most challenging aspect of the untimely ending was that management genuinely believed it had a strong contender. The numerous moves made during the season, including trading Mikko Rantanen more than a month before the trade deadline for Martin Necas, were to shore up a team to go deep into the postseason.

5 Takeaways: Sakic, MacFarland Discuss Disappointing End To Season

“It stings right now. Next year is going to come here and we’re going to have another competitive team that’s going to have the same goal in mind and try to win. Everybody’s frustrated. Everybody’s disappointed, just because we felt we were this close to moving on,” Sakic said.

Rantanen played a big part in knocking the Avs out in the first round. Several reporters asked GM Chris MacFarland and Sakic about trading him to the Carolina Hurricanes and how he ended up back in the Central Division.

“We heard after the fact he wasn’t planning on signing an extension with Carolina, that there was a possibility (he could move again). But … no. This stings not because Mikko was on the other side. It stings because we felt we were close. We did those deals because it was wide open, a lot of really good teams, equal teams. (We) wanted to put ourselves in a position to be one of those teams that had a legit shot to win the Stanley Cup,” Sakic said.

Watch Full Press Conference on Colorado Hockey Now’s YouTube Channel

Coming so close but failing to get past the first round raises several questions about what needs improvement. Management will need to make decisions on a few unrestricted free agents, including Brock Nelson, Jonathan Drouin, Joel Kiviranta, Jimmy Vesey, Ryan Lindgren, and Erik Johnson.

“We’ll look at our cap space, and we’ll look at our internal free agents and the external free agents, and see where the holes are, and see if the math works, and find out where we can improve the team. Our goal is always to improve the team next year …,” MacFarland said. “And we’ve got a lot of players that are coming back here, that are obviously good hockey players. So that’s for the next few months here to dial that in for sure.”

A positive from the short-lived playoff run was the return of the team’s captain, Gabriel Landeskog. Aside from that, the front office will have to find a new assistant coach to help the power play after firing Ray Bennett. They will have to face the same conundrum as it has in the last few seasons — who will be the No. 2 center? What other moves need to be made so they don’t just come close again? We’ll see what happens in the offseason.

The post What Went Wrong in Avs’ Shocking Early Postseason End? appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — May 5.

Colorado Hockey Now

So many questions need to be answered. And most of them will be asked on Tuesday when Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic meet with the media after a disappointing first-round exit. I wrote on Monday that MacFarland should lose his job for how the Mikko Rantanen saga unfolded, and I still stand by that.

When the Avs traded Rantanen to Carolina, I wrote that MacFarland deserves trust and patience to make his next moves. And how this all unfolds will determine his fate. The reality is, it unraveled, and the way the season ended should absolutely determine his fate. MacFarland did something that doesn’t happen in this league. He let go of a superstar talent — one of the best playoff performers in recent history — in the prime of his career, only for that player to end up back in the division with a team the Avs already struggle with.

You better have things work in your favor if you’re going to do that. They didn’t, and he should lose his job for it. Will he? Probably not, given that he’s going to address the media on Tuesday. But I still think it’s a fireable offense.

Also, Nathan MacKinnon is joining Sidney Crosby at the World Championships for Team Canada. Do your thing, Nate. You’ve probably tried before and failed. But it doesn’t mean you can’t try again.

On that note, I will write more this week about MacKinnon’s postgame comments from Saturday.

Read More: Flynn’s Take: Avs Needed Big Win, Suffered Epic, Embarrassing Loss

Stanley Cup Playoff Recap

Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues: The Jets trailed Game 7 by a score of 3-1 before pulling within a goal with 1:56 remaining. Then, they got the game-tying goal with 1.6 seconds left on the clock before winning late in double overtime to advance to the second round. What a spectacular comeback for a team (and a goalie) who needed a win in the biggest of ways. The Jets will face Dallas for the right to advance to the Western Conference Final.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 1: Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs (6 pm MT on ESPN)

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Marc-Andre Fleury is also joining Team Canada. He’ll play with Crosby one last time.

Montreal Hockey Now: What kind of contract extension will Lane Hutson get?

Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers didn’t need home-ice advantage in their series against Tampa. They won all three road games. They’re cool with starting on the road again in Toronto tonight.

San Jose Hockey Now: It’s Draft Lottery night! The league is adding a twist to this year’s event.

The post Deen’s Daily: MacFarland Will Talk Tuesday; Jets Stun St. Louis Blues in Game 7 appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

For most of the Game 7 loss, the Avs controlled the play. But then Mikko Rantanen scored a goal in the third period. And then another. Wyatt Johnston scored the game-winner, but Rantanen put the icing on the cake to complete a hat trick with an empty-netter. He even assisted on Johnston’s tally.

READ MORE: Deen’s View: Chris MacFarland Gambled and Lost With Rantanen Trade — And Should Pay For It With His Job (+)

“That’s the thing with Mikko, it’s not about always just creating multiple chances like every time he touches the puck, but big moments,” head coach Jared Bednar said. “Look at that first goal — pretty nice individual effort, rips it off the bar down and finds a way to get the other one on the wrap around. Hits our skate, but it’s still a high-quality play and he capitalizes on it. He can capitalize, that’s what he is. He’s a pure goal scorer. He did that in the third.”

Unbelievable, devastating, painful — all words used to describe the season-ending defeat. But shock was what the players felt following the 4-2 loss.

“It’s pretty shocking. Felt like we were in total control, and then Mikko, credit to him, he made some amazing plays. He was a difference maker and he took over. I don’t know. I’m in shock, to be honest with you. Felt like we were in complete control of the game the whole time and just lost it.” Nathan MacKinnon said.

“Yeah, it’s pretty early on, so it’s hard to put into words other than it sucks,” Gabriel Landeskog said. “It really sucks. Just wasn’t ready to stop playing, to be honest.”

READ MORE: Season Over: Rantanen Gets Last Laugh — Avalanche Blow It in Game 7

The 32-year-old captain said they could sit and try to figure out “we should’ve done this, should’ve done that,” but the result doesn’t change. It’s one of the toughest losses for a team to swallow, having been up 1-0 for more than 10 minutes and then 2-0 for more than eight minutes, only to be defeated by three goals in less than nine minutes.

“We felt like our play was good enough 5-on-5, and we controlled the pace of the game. Even when it went 2-1, I felt like we weathered it well. Just seemed … unlucky,” Cale Makar said.

The question now is — “Where do we go from here?” While there are no immediate answers, the initial blame falls on GM Chris MacFarland. The biggest topic at hand in his regard is the trade of the player who ultimately sealed the team’s fate in the end.

Once the shock wears off and the dust settles, expect some moves to happen in one way or another. My thought is Joe Sakic moves back into the GM position to guide and prepare Andrew Cogliano to take over the position in the next season or two. But we shall see what transpires over the offseason.

The post Flynn’s Take: Avs Needed Big Win, Suffered Epic, Embarassing Loss appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.