It’s been reported that some of the new rules regarding draft rights might begin immediately, even if the new CBA doesn’t technically begin until Sept. 16, 2026.

But among the changes that won’t begin until then: Contract length limitations and salary bonus structure.

On the latest 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman sat down with Marty Walsh and Ron Hainsey, who head the NHLPA. Hainsey confirmed that none of the changes to contract length and salary structure will be put into play until mid-September.

With the change, players re-signing with their current clubs can only sign for up to seven years and unrestricted free agents signing with a new club can only lock in for a maximum of six years. There will also be a 60% cap on how much of a contract can be allocated toward signing bonuses.

READ MORE: Peter Forsberg is in Town! — Avalanche Prepare for Alumni Game at Magness Arena

This is good for the Avs. It means they can still use the current CBA to sign extensions for both Martin Necas and, more importantly, Cale Makar.

Necas is an unrestricted free agent next July 1. If the Avs come to terms on a new deal with the forward, they’ll be able to give him eight years and allocate more bonus money to the contract. But that was always the case because Necas has been eligible to sign an extension for nearly two months now.

Makar’s next deal was always up in the air. It was rumored that the new contract rules would come into play on July 1, 2026, before Hainsey confirmed otherwise. Given that Makar is ineligible to sign an extension until that day, this is huge news for Colorado.

In order for the Avalanche to get Makar locked up for the current maximum term of eight years, they have to sign him before Sept. 16, 2026. That’ll give them two and a half months next summer to get a contract signed.

I’d suspect they’ll want to get things done pretty quickly, but that’s not always the case. For example, MacKinnon didn’t sign his early extension in 2022 until right before training camp began in September. And right now, the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid are still without a new contract.

If Makar’s extension talks drag into August or September, the new starting date for the new CBA will likely be the first deadline to get things done. I’d imagine Makar, who will be in his mid 30s at the conclusion of his next deal, would also rather have the option to sign for eight years instead of seven.

The Avs will also be able to front load Makar’s contract with yearly bonuses if they sign before Sept. 16, just like they did with MacKinnon. Nearly 85% of the Avalanche’s star centerman’s current contract is made up of bonuses.

That’s often what players prefer, which gives Makar added motivation to get a deal done.

The post New CBA Changes Likely Won’t Affect Cale Makar’s Next Contract with Avalanche appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — August 6.

Colorado Hockey Now

I answered a bunch of questions yesterday in the first half of the August Avalanche Mailbag. As usual, I always appreciate the discussion and the number of questions I receive whenever I post one of these for the audience.

Gabe Landeskog’s production, the goaltending tandem, and trading Ross Colton or Samuel Girard were some of the questions I answered. But the most pressing topic was Necas and the fact that the Avs could very well start the season without an extension locked in.

Click below to see my responses to all of these, and more.

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

Around The NHL

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Is Erik Karlsson still going to get traded this summer? It sure seems like more than just a possibility. It’s crazy to think it’s already been two years since a massive multi-team trade shipped him from San Jose to Pittsburgh. Dan Kingerski has the final verdict on the deal, and how it worked out for the Pens.

Ottawa Hockey Now: The Sens had an excellent draft in 2020. They selected Tim Stutzle No. 3 overall and Jake Sanderson two spots later. But they also had solid picks, taking Ridley Grieg and two other NHLers in the later rounds. Here’s a full recap of that draft class, and how much it has shaped their team.

The Avs could learn a thing or two about hitting on later picks.

Florida Hockey Now: This isn’t Panthers, but it was drawn out nicely by George Richards at FHN.

Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and their mascot buoy had a run-in with a bear. Yes, an actual real-life grizzly bear.

Watch This: Video shows a grizzly bear charging at Seattle Kraken mascot @SEAbuoy and others while doing what appears to be a fishing promo shoot in the Northwest.

Video Credit: Buoy on X

Click here for the full story: https://t.co/ayghLIruwk pic.twitter.com/hldMBtMz5K

— KREM 2 NEWS (@KREM2) August 1, 2025

The post Deen’s Daily: Two Years Since Karlsson Trade; Should Avs Start Season Without Necas Extension? 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.

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

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

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

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

What are they going to do with their roster?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. So where are we with Necas anyway?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — July 16.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avs are starting the season on Oct. 7 on the road. Two nights later, they host the Utah Mammoth at Ball Arena to kick off the first of 41 home games in the last 82-game regular season before the new CBA.

You can see the full schedule below. I’ll dive deeper into it tomorrow with key dates, games, etc.

In my latest CHN Avalanche Mailbag, a lot of you asked about Necas, and his future with the club. Necas has one year remaining at $6.5 million before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Avs traded Mikko Rantanen last January because they couldn’t reach a deal with him and there was the risk of letting him walk for nothing. Surely, they’re thinking the same way with Necas, right?

I answered questions about that, and more, in the second part of the Mailbag. I’ve also linked Part 1 below for you to review if you haven’t already.

Read More: Avalanche Mailbag 2.0: Necas’ Next Contract, Trade Value, and Bottom-Six Depth Uncertainty

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

Around The NHL

New Jersey Hockey Now: Tyler Myers, teammate of Quinn Hughes in Vancouver, poured cold water on the rumors of Quinn joining his brothers Jack and Luke in New Jersey.

Montreal Hockey Now: One of the buy low UFA’s that I thought would be a good fit for the Avs is on his way to the Habs. Joe Veleno signed for one year on Wednesday.

Detroit Hockey Now: The Red Wings start the year with a lot of divisional action.

Boston Hockey Now: The Bruins host Brad Marchand and the Panthers on Oct. 21 — one of their more notable games of the season.

Florida Hockey Now: The Panthers host the Rangers in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2 in Miami. That’s going to be one heck of an NHL event.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins schedule is linked here.

Philadelphia Hockey Now: Fan of the Flyers? Their schedule is here.

The post Deen’s Daily: Avs 2025-26 Schedule; Quinn Hughes Rumors Squashed by Teammate; What Will Happen with Martin Necas? 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.

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.

The two combined to make over $13 million and the Avs had very little space to maneuver.

But this year feels different. Landeskog and Nichushkin are healthy and ready for the upcoming season. But that’s not all.

Even though they currently have only $1.2 million in cap space, the Avalanche, who have a strong forward group already under contract, continue to get mentioned around NHL circles as a team to watch.

They have three names that are appearing on trade boards and mentioned among NHL Insiders. They’re all under contract, all have value, and any one of them can shake up the roster if dealt.

Here are the three names to watch just 48 hours away from the start of the NHL Draft.

Martin Necas

This is more under the radar, but it hasn’t entirely gone away. Even though Martin Necas isn’t top of mind as a player to watch this offseason, he’s still often mentioned as someone that could be moved. Why? It’s simple. Necas is a year away from unrestricted free agency, and it’s entirely possible that he’s seeking a contract value that the Avs don’t want to pay.

Necas was the main piece that was acquired in the blockbuster Mikko Rantanen trade last January. Rantanen was dealt because he was eligible to be a UFA on July 1 and contract talks were seemingly going nowhere. I still stand by the thought that the Avs can’t possibly start the season without Necas either locked in to a new deal or traded. You can’t let this linger like you did with Rantanen.

You can’t do that to your core again.

Charlie Coyle

The Avs have one of the deepest center groups in the NHL. Having Jack Drury on the fourth line for one more season is, at least to me, the right move. You know for sure he can handle that role and overachieve in it. You don’t want to thrust him into a permanent 3C role just yet. That’s why Charlie Coyle is such a valuable piece right now.

With that being said, if the right offer comes around for Coyle — an overpayment from a desperate team — then perhaps the front office will actually entertain moving him. But only if they have their sights set on a replacement. I’d still prefer they have Drury on the fourth line.

The UFA center market is bare, and teams that miss out on John Tavares might be desperate enough to overpay for Coyle as a 2C. I look at Toronto as an example of a team that could use him. If they don’t sign Tavares, they’ll need help. And Coyle is the type of locker room presence that they need.

Montreal is another team to watch. The Habs need help at 2C and Coyle is very much a Martin St. Louis type of guy.

Samuel Girard

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff has been all over this one. Seravalli has mentioned multiple times on Daily Faceoff Live and on the DFO Rundown podcast that the Avs have been trying to trade Samuel Girard for three summers.

What’s holding up a deal? Teams are putting a limit on the number of undersized defensemen they’d like to have on their roster, according to Seravalli.

Girard is a valuable top-four blueliner who can play upwards of 20 minutes per game with ease. There’s a place for him somewhere, maybe even with the Avs for another year, but we’ll have to see what the offers look like first.

I do believe the Avs need a major shakeup to their defense core after the top pair. Moving Girard would be the first step.

The post 3 Names to Watch: Big Decisions Loom for the Avalanche Heading Into NHL Draft 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.