Rumor: 2020-21 Trade Rumours and FA Part VIII: Intra-Playoff Edition?

[Foppa2118]

Depressing looking back and seeing in March of 2020, the NHL expected the cap to be between $84.0M and $88.2M this season and then probably would have risen again into the $90M range for 2021-22.

But now they expect 2021-22 to be either the same or nearly the same as the $81.5M it's been the last two seasons.

That's probably about $10M more they could have had in cap room to load up without losing anyone, but now we're not even sure if they can keep Saad, let alone make big additions.

I feel like the Avs always get screwed on the timing of these things.

 

[Avsavsavsavsavs]

I think Jones has family connections to Colorado, so maybe that’s where these Jones rumours are coming from. Plus I imagine he sees a great opportunity to win a cup as well.

If Colorado wants him, Jones expressing interest should help because I believe he has a no trade clause.

I didn’t watch him much this year, but I know his underlying numbers are basically in the gutter. Can anyone who watched Jones a significant amount provide some context on that?

Better than numbers suggest, especially when you consider his strong numbers earlier in his career. Most defenders will look bad when a team implodes over the last 2 seasons the way Columbus has.

 

[shadow1]

How much are you paying to re-sign Jones? And Makar? And Landeskog? And MacKinnon in two years?

Girard is on a great contract at $5M/yr. Does Jones approach almost double that on the open market? $8.5M/yr is probably the minimum for him.

Exactly. Colorado has an embarrassment of riches on the back end. Trading for Seth Jones is akin to when Toronto signed John Tavares, despite having an embarrassment of riches on the front end. It hasn't worked out so well.

Girard's contract is insane. He averaged over 23 minutes per night and was on pace for 55 points (32 in 48), despite not playing on the top power play. And he's arguably the Avalanche's third best defenseman.

 

[Hasbro]

Depressing looking back and seeing in March of 2020, the NHL expected the cap to be between $84.0M and $88.2M this season and then probably would have risen again into the $90M range for 2021-22.

But now they expect 2021-22 to be either the same or nearly the same as the $81.5M it's been the last two seasons.

That's probably about $10M more they could have had in cap room to load up without losing anyone, but now we're not even sure if they can keep Saad, let alone make big additions.

I feel like the Avs always get screwed on the timing of these things.

Plenty of that space would have been eaten up by salary inflation.

 

[Foppa2118]

Plenty of that space would have been eaten up by salary inflation.

Some of it but I'm not convinced we'd be seeing guys like Saad command like $8M+ if the cap had risen like expected.

I'm also not sure how big a break they'll get on deals like Makar's with the flat cap compared to what it would have been.

 

[shadow1]

IMO they need to buy Johnson out.

He's 33, making $6M the next two years. He only played in 4 games this season due to injury, and dating back to 2018 has only played in 21/43 playoff games (in addition to missing a boatload of regular season games). The extra $4M the Avalanche would save over the next two years could be the difference between keeping or losing a player like Brandon Saad.

 

[Avsboy]

I think Avs should add Jones, Merzilikins and RNH, subtract Girard, Kadri, Bura and the bad players (Graves, Nemeth). Keep Saad. The trade would be some combination (all?) of Girard, Kadri, Bura, Graves to Columbus for Jones and Elvis.

Landeskog(7)-Mackinnon(6)-Rantanen(9.25)
Saad(6.5)-RNH(7)-Newhook(900k)
Nichushkin(2.5)-Jost(2)-Donskoi(3.9)
Ranta(925k)-Compher(3.5)-LOC(725k)

Toews(4.1)-Makar(10)
Byram(900k)-Jones(5.4)
Timmins(925k)-EJ(6)

Merzlikins(4)
Annunen (990k)

That's 82 million. It's an all-star team. The D is big, strong, and fast enough to stop 23 moving trucks.

 

[Eltuna]

On the Jones vs Eichel debate I would much rather Eichel although that doesn’t feel like a likely outcome.

I have said it before but Jones reminds me a lot of JBo when he was in Florida and people had not quite caught on to his game yet, although I do think Jones is a better hockey player than Bouwmeester ever was.

His game against Tampa in the playoffs was one of the more overrated games of the past few years in my opinion, the reason he can play so much is that he plays a game that is easier to play against and doesn’t exert a ton of energy. It’s my opinion that he does this more analogous to a JBo than a Suter. I don’t deny he would fit the defence more than Girard does and creates a better balance however so can see the merit of swapping the two.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

IMO they need to buy Johnson out.

He's 33, making $6M the next two years. He only played in 4 games this season due to injury, and dating back to 2018 has only played in 21/43 playoff games (in addition to missing a boatload of regular season games). The extra $4M the Avalanche would save over the next two years could be the difference between keeping or losing a player like Brandon Saad.

LTIR Johnson out or Hossa him. He must have some sort of rash. Lol

 

[Hasbro]

Some of it but I'm not convinced we'd be seeing guys like Saad command like $8M+ if the cap had risen like expected.

I'm also not sure how big a break they'll get on deals like Makar's with the flat cap compared to what it would have been.

You’ll see more bridge deals from RFAs hoping to stall until the cap rises again before signing long term.

 

[Hasbro]

One year deal for Edler?

 

[TruePowerSlave]

EJ 6M
Bura 4.9M
Kadri 4.5M
Donskoi 3.9M
Compher 3.5M
Graves 3.3M
Calvert 2.8M
Francouz 2M

That's quite a lot of cap space that was used on players who contributed very little in the season/playoffs. The fewer of them return the better.

We should immediately stop spending big on 3rd and 4th liners who aren’t even that good especially in our cap situation.

 

[JH21]

Adding Seth Jones is a no-brainer.

He is a top 5 Dman in the league and exactly what we need.

Girard, Kadri and our 1st for Seth Jones

Ryan Graves get selected by Seattle..

Sign Jamie Oleksiak.

Sign me up.

Toews - Makar
Byram - Jones
Oleksiak - Timmins

 

[Avsboy]

I don't want to abandon EJ. If he gets injured one more time buy him out.

 

[Avaholic29]

I don't want to abandon EJ. If he gets injured one more time buy him out.

Sometimes sacrifices need to be made. He’s been basically non existent for 2+ years.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I certainly wouldn’t say no to Jones at a decent price, but I think we’re misidentifying the problem.

Give me another high-end centre before Seth Jones all day.

 

[Avaholic29]

I certainly wouldn’t say no to Jones at a decent price, but I think we’re misidentifying the problem.

Give me another high-end centre before Seth Jones all day.

All I saw for the second straight year was blown leads in crucial third periods, mostly off turnovers from being jammed in our own end for extended periods. The depth dmen are weak and inexperienced, great for regular season hockey but once again we saw them self destruct. We should be able to win tight games when up 2 in the third, seems like we never do in the playoffs.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I don't want to abandon EJ. If he gets injured one more time buy him out.

He will get injured without a doubt, possibly even multiple times. The man is a liability at this point for not being able to play games, everyone following the Avs should know this by now.

 

[myperbixhurts]

All I saw for the second straight year was blown leads in crucial third periods, mostly off turnovers from being jammed in our own end for extended periods. The depth dmen are weak and inexperienced, great for regular season hockey but once again we saw them self destruct. We should be able to win tight games when up 2 in the third, seems like we never do in the playoffs.

Yup, scoring goals was not the Avs problem, keeping Vegas from scoring was. Even without Kadri Avs scored enough goals to win the series, but they gave away leads and couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. Defense is priority #1. At very least Graves and Nemeth need to be replaced. It's two years in a row they're putting Graves on top 4 in the playoffs and it backfires.

 

[Pokecheque]

Depressing looking back and seeing in March of 2020, the NHL expected the cap to be between $84.0M and $88.2M this season and then probably would have risen again into the $90M range for 2021-22.

But now they expect 2021-22 to be either the same or nearly the same as the $81.5M it's been the last two seasons.

That's probably about $10M more they could have had in cap room to load up without losing anyone, but now we're not even sure if they can keep Saad, let alone make big additions.

I feel like the Avs always get screwed on the timing of these things.

As someone else pointed out in regards to the flat cap, the Avs benefited from it too—they got Toews for cheap.

 

[MarkT]

That's essentially where I am as well. Jost can gtfo and go play somewhere else. Don't want him ever touching 3C role, and too small for the 4C role. This team's 4th line needs a new identity. Calvert was great to have but he's finished. I think O'Connor works there, but you've got to insulate him with two big bodies so that he isn't the only guy playing physical which was the case most times he was in the lineup this season.

Looking around at UFA's, there isn't anyone really there. So it'd have to be via trade. Names I'd be happy with include Josh Archibald, Derek Grant, Nicolas Deslauriers, Lawson Crouse, Brendan Lemieux, Trent Frederic, Chris Wagner, Scott Laughton, and Garnet Hatheway.

Can we acquire one of those guys? I hope so.

I'd go after Zach MacEwen from Vancouver.

Didn’t LOC play less than the minimum # of regular season games to qualify for the XD?

That's not how that works. The terminology makes it confusing. The number of games played for exposure requirements is purely about the fact that we have to expose a certain number of players under contract for next season. It has no impact on whether Seattle can pick the player - that's based on different factors. Basically, they can take LOC if we leave him exposed.

 

[MarkT]

After reading the last 10 pages here, the two main things people seem to want are an upgrade at center and an upgrade on defense.

The center talk hinges largely on an assumption. If you assume the Avs are going to move Kadri, then 2C becomes a huge need (just like it was before we traded for Kadri). If we are not moving Kadri, however, then the need switches to 3C, and there's a chance that the Avs feel they can fill that internally with Jost/Newhook/Compher (shudder). I personally think this would be a mistake, but if it's a question of keeping Saad or overpaying for a 3C, I might go with Saad and hope Newhook is ready.

On defense, obviously all the talk is about Seth Jones, and fair enough. He appears to be exactly what we need - a big defenseman who can actually play, and who shoots right. Potentially the perfectly balanced top four of Makar, Toews, Jones and Byram. The issue as I see it is this: Columbus is going to want a center in return, and I doubt that means Nazem Kadri. I think Columbus would want any Jones deal to include Newhook. So if we're planning deals for Jones, we might want to consider deals that include Girard and Newhook. At that point though I think we're better off just keeping our players and signing a veteran RD instead. Maybe, just maybe though Sakic can pull off another magician act and make it Jost+Girard as the key pieces for Jones (extended).

 

[The Abusement Park]

Yup, scoring goals was not the Avs problem, keeping Vegas from scoring was. Even without Kadri Avs scored enough goals to win the series, but they gave away leads and couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. Defense is priority #1. At very least Graves and Nemeth need to be replaced. It's two years in a row they're putting Graves on top 4 in the playoffs and it backfires.

Having a competent 2C would help the team significantly defensively. It’s pretty easy to get caved in when a dude that isn’t a natural C is playing against the best 2md line in the NHL.

 

[myperbixhurts]

Having a competent 2C would help the team significantly defensively. It’s pretty easy to get caved in when a dude that isn’t a natural C is playing against the best 2md line in the NHL.

That's true, unfortunately the Avs #2 C just can't keep his head straight. Whether they go with Kadri for one more year or not, they need the #2 C for sure

 

[Avaholic29]

Yup, scoring goals was not the Avs problem, keeping Vegas from scoring was. Even without Kadri Avs scored enough goals to win the series, but they gave away leads and couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. Defense is priority #1. At very least Graves and Nemeth need to be replaced. It's two years in a row they're putting Graves on top 4 in the playoffs and it backfires.

defence definitely wins championships.