Rumor: 2021-22 Trade Rumors and FA Part V: To Giroux or not to Giroux

[Northern Avs Fan]

The tricky thing with getting rid of EJ is that it only creates a one year window before that money has to go to Mackinnon. How do you spent that extra $5-6m in the offseason for just one year?

Just trade someone for a draft pick. The same thing Tampa has done the last few off-seasons. If Compher is still on the roster, him coming off the books frees up $3M too.

 

[Perratrooper]

The tricky thing with getting rid of EJ is that it only creates a one year window before that money has to go to Mackinnon. How do you spent that extra $5-6m in the offseason for just one year?

If Mack signs a contract more in line with Barkov ($10.5mx8 years for example). The cap would be closer to what we would be freeing up from JTC leaving than EJ at a $4.2m increase. So conceivably if MacK takes the discount he’s alluded to we would have $5.3m to spend. However that will likely all go to Newhook and Byram.

 

[Gruyeriev]

The tricky thing with getting rid of EJ is that it only creates a one year window before that money has to go to Mackinnon. How do you spent that extra $5-6m in the offseason for just one year?

Basically a deadline acquisition with no term or an old timer signing 1 year contracts before retirement like Sakic did his last few years.

 

[Richard88]

I do not like that list

The top of the list looks mostly fine. The bottom few names isn't great though, apart from maybe Schenn if he's cheap to acquire. Not sure about Klingberg as a target either, he's not really what this team needs, certainly not at the price it likely takes to acquire him.

If you replace Toffoli, Drouin, Kessel, and DeBrusk with something like Lehkonen, Copp, Nick Paul, Soucy then I could get onboard.

 

[Richard88]

Just trade someone for a draft pick. The same thing Tampa has done the last few off-seasons. If Compher is still on the roster, him coming off the books frees up $3M too.

Compher's money needs to go towards bridging Newhook/Byram.

 

[Richard88]

Basically a deadline acquisition with no term or an old timer signing 1 year contracts before retirement like Sakic did his last few years.

$5-6m deadline acquisitions can be made by accruing cap by just having like ~$1m in unused cap for the first 4/5ths of the season.

Maybe Pavelski or Giordano take a 1 year deal, but it would be surprising to see Sakic buyout one aging player just to pay another aging vet the same money.

 

[Gruyeriev]

The top of the list looks mostly fine. The bottom few names isn't great though, apart from maybe Schenn if he's cheap to acquire. Not sure about Klingberg as a target either, he's not really what this team needs, certainly not at the price it likely takes to acquire him.

If you replace Toffoli, Drouin, Kessel, and DeBrusk with something like Lehkonen, Copp, Nick Paul, Soucy then I could get onboard.

Yes those additions would make the list much better. Beyond the top 2 and maybe 6 I don’t want anyone else on that DNVR list

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Compher's money needs to go towards bridging Newhook/Byram.

Personally, I’d rather kick the cap issues down the road for a year and go hard for a cup.

They’d probably need to trade a couple guys in the 2023 off-season, but that’s the price of being a contending cap team.

 

[Gruyeriev]

Someone alluded on here earlier that Sakic was interested in acquiring guys with a little term. Like a year left on their deal to potentially give us two shots at a cup run. Does anyone know where that info came from? Source of the interview?

 

[Gruyeriev]

Personally, I’d rather kick the cap issues down the road for a year and go hard for a cup.

They’d probably need to trade a couple guys in the 2023 off-season, but that’s the price of being a contending cap team.

Like LTIR Mack until the playoffs?

 

[shadow1]

Sakic deserves at least some credit for betting on guys like Nichuskin, Newhook, and Byram being able to step up their game in more prominent roles than they had last season. A more risk-averse GM might have paid futures to upgrade at 2LW/3C/2LW instead of betting on his guys. That goes for betting on Kadri to have a bounce-back year instead of trading him as other GM's may have done in the same situation.

In terms of the guys in bold, Nichuskin has effectively replaced Saad on the 2nd line; Byram was the Graves' replacement in the off-season; and personally I'd take a younger Maltsev over Bellemare given how he slowed down last year. I'd take any of Murray/JJ/MacDermid over Nemeth too, he was so brutal last postseason. MacDermid also brings a presence that clearly has an impact on this teams ability to push back.

Not saying that every move was perfect btw, and getting backed into a corner on the goalie carousel wasn't great, but the roster moves have made sense and seem to be paying off. We'll see how things go in the playoffs though obviously, but it seems that Sakic is preparing to make a key move or two to upgrade the roster further by then.

Yeah there were definitely some good byproducts (Kadri bounce back, Nichushkin breakout) of the moves he made - or didn't make - and the in-season claim of Aube-Kubel on waivers has been impactful after Ranta didn't work out this year. (I disagree on Bellemare/Maltsev though; long term the latter obviously, but short term Bellemare is having a nice season with Tampa)

But I still can't move past the Erik Johnson non-buyout, especially when the PK has been so bad this year. Also not trading JT Compher (to Arizona) cost the team Brandon Saad, who's having another solid year. I don't want to nitpick every move (or non-move), but overall I felt like the Avalanche entered the season in cap hell, with a less talented roster.

If Sakic can manage to add another middle-6 forward and bottom-3 defenseman, all is well. But if the Avalanche bow out early again, with Compher and Johnson's salaries weighing the team down, as stated my mind will go back to the off-season.

 

[S E P H]

Sakic himself confirms the 2022 first is lottery protected.

@ 6:15

The real f***ing question is why it took so long to get this info and why didn't any journalist/insider not f***ing say a word about it when the trade was made?

 

[Vaslof]

The real f***ing question is why it took so long to get this info and why didn't any journalist/insider not f***ing say a word about it when the trade was made?

Someone definitely did at the time. I know because I read it. I don't remember who it was.

 

[S E P H]

Someone definitely did at the time. I know because I read it. I don't remember who it was.

It was AJ and he's been hit/miss, but give credit for a fan getting that info.

 

[The Kingslayer]

The real f***ing question is why it took so long to get this info and why didn't any journalist/insider not f***ing say a word about it when the trade was made?

remember when that was a big deal in October lol. I remember arguing with people that the pick was protected but I had no proof kinda like how I know Fidel is Trudeau daddy but I have no proof.

 

[S E P H]

But the Avs weren't interested in Giroux!

Dater needs to realise is that all the local pro scouts that live in Denver who watch the Avs/opponent, will go to Loveland and catch the Eagles as well. That number isn't truly breathtaking, the more important is if a team is scouting you long, but we've also been down this road with CBJ I believe where they scouted us for like a month and we never made a trade with them.

I am probably on the small number of posters, but I much rather give up Barron than Helleson. Where they were drafted has zero effect on me, trade Jiri Fischer every single day of the week and keep Pavel Datsyuk.

remember when that was a big deal in October lol. I remember arguing with people that the pick was protected but I had no proof kinda like how I know Fidel is Trudeau daddy but I have no proof.

LOL!!!

 

[Richard88]

Yeah there were definitely some good byproducts (Kadri bounce back, Nichushkin breakout) of the moves he made - or didn't make - and the in-season claim of Aube-Kubel on waivers has been impactful after Ranta didn't work out this year. (I disagree on Bellemare/Maltsev though; long term the latter obviously, but short term Bellemare is having a nice season with Tampa)

But I still can't move past the Erik Johnson non-buyout, especially when the PK has been so bad this year. Also not trading JT Compher (to Arizona) cost the team Brandon Saad, who's having another solid year. I don't want to nitpick every move (or non-move), but overall I felt like the Avalanche entered the season in cap hell, with a less talented roster.

If Sakic can manage to add another middle-6 forward and bottom-3 defenseman, all is well. But if the Avalanche bow out early again, with Compher and Johnson's salaries weighing the team down, as stated my mind will go back to the off-season.

Losing Saad wasn't great, but in a couple of years we might be happy that Sakic was careful to not hand out 5 year deals to non-core players like him. If signing him precluded being able to re-sign Nichuskin this offseason for example then I'd imagine that there would be a lot of dissatisfaction around here. Also worth keeping in mind that he was acquired when the cap was expected to rise - and likely would have been resigned with a rising cap, but instead became a casualty of the flat cap environment which was hardly foreseeable for Sakic.

Compher's contract isn't great but paying assets to move him would have been a bit shortsighted. He'll probably be far easier to trade for something in return at the deadline when 80% of his $4.5m salary has been paid (only $900k remaining) and with his salary returning to $3.5m next year. We have limited assets and moving some of them (instead of receiving something in return) wouldn't have been very good asset management, especially considering that he's actually being reasonably productive still.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Losing Saad wasn't great, but in a couple of years we might be happy that Sakic was careful to not hand out 5 year deals to non-core players like him. If signing him precluded being able to re-sign Nichuskin this offseason for example then I'd imagine that there would be a lot of dissatisfaction around here. Also worth keeping in mind that he was acquired when the cap was expected to rise - and likely would have been resigned with a rising cap, but instead became a casualty of the flat cap environment which was hardly foreseeable for Sakic.

Compher's contract isn't great but paying assets to move him would have been a bit shortsighted. He'll probably be far easier to trade for something in return at the deadline when 80% of his $4.5m salary has been paid (only $900k remaining) and with his salary returning to $3.5m next year. We have limited assets and moving some of them (instead of receiving something in return) wouldn't have been very good asset management, especially considering that he's actually being reasonably productive still.

Very good point.

 

[Richard88]

Dater needs to realise is that all the local pro scouts that live in Denver who watch the Avs/opponent, will go to Loveland and catch the Eagles as well. That number isn't truly breathtaking, the more important is if a team is scouting you long, but we've also been down this road with CBJ I believe where they scouted us for like a month and we never made a trade with them.

I am probably on the small number of posters, but I much rather give up Barron than Helleson. Where they were drafted has zero effect on me, trade Jiri Fischer every single day of the week and keep Pavel Datsyuk.


LOL!!!

How has Barron's defense been developing in the AHL? I recall watching preseason games where he had some issues with puck-watching, positioning around the net, and also gap control (which I found surprising considering what a smoother skater he is). I keep flipping on Barron vs Helleson as Barron has the higher ceiling but Helleson would probably have more of an immediate impact on the roster and a better fit next to Girard.

 

[MacKaRant]

Someone alluded on here earlier that Sakic was interested in acquiring guys with a little term. Like a year left on their deal to potentially give us two shots at a cup run. Does anyone know where that info came from? Source of the interview?

Sakic said in his press conference that they are looking at "hockey trades" and then said, "But we’ll also look to add if we can." Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but the fact that he mentioned hockey trades first might mean they are prioritizing player-in / player-out deals that can benefit the team over a longer term than just this Cup run. While of course also being interested in short-term pickups.

Then again, every GM for playoff-bound teams is probably looking at both long-term and short-term improvement options, so maybe the quote doesn't mean much at all.

 

[Richard88]

Sakic said in his press conference that they are looking at "hockey trades" and then said, "But we’ll also look to add if we can." Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but the fact that he mentioned hockey trades first might mean they are prioritizing player-in / player-out deals that can benefit the team over a longer term than just this Cup run. While of course also being interested in short-term pickups.

Then again, every GM for playoff-bound teams is probably looking at both long-term and short-term improvement options, so maybe the quote doesn't mean much at all.

At face value the quote kinda sounds like he's thinking about moving a JTC or Jost for a forward upgrade (a hockey trade), and then using a pick to add a depth Dman or forward.

 

[MacKaRant]

I liked the sugested trade of JTC straight up for Kessel (50%) just for the fact that it gets rid of JTCs contract next season.

Probably not a popular opinion on this board, but I think JTC would bring more to the Avs than Kessel during this season's Cup run, so if it's strictly a choice between Compher and Kessel, I would go with JTC.

If we need to dump Compher's contract next offseason, that's easy enough to do.

 

[MacKaRant]

But I still can't move past the Erik Johnson non-buyout, especially when the PK has been so bad this year. Also not trading JT Compher (to Arizona) cost the team Brandon Saad, who's having another solid year. I don't want to nitpick every move (or non-move), but overall I felt like the Avalanche entered the season in cap hell, with a less talented roster.

Saad is already underperforming his contract according to The Athletic's model ($4.5m contract vs $4.0 market value for his production), and it's only year 1 of the contract. And there are 4 more years to go on it after this one. I think it will age poorly.

I think it's telling that the Avs didn't even reach out to his camp before free agency this past off-season. If the leadership group in the dressing room saw him as a major asset, I think that information gets up to management and they at least try to make an offer.

 

[Gruyeriev]

Sakic said in his press conference that they are looking at "hockey trades" and then said, "But we’ll also look to add if we can." Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but the fact that he mentioned hockey trades first might mean they are prioritizing player-in / player-out deals that can benefit the team over a longer term than just this Cup run. While of course also being interested in short-term pickups.

Then again, every GM for playoff-bound teams is probably looking at both long-term and short-term improvement options, so maybe the quote doesn't mean much at all.

If thats the case better not wait until the last minute to make the trade so the guys have time to adjust. Frankly I’d be surprised to see him move out a roster player beyond a 7thD/13thF.

 

[Avaholic29]

Saad is already underperforming his contract according to The Athletic's model ($4.5m contract vs $4.0 market value for his production), and it's only year 1 of the contract. And there are 4 more years to go on it after this one. I think it will age poorly.

I think it's telling that the Avs didn't even reach out to his camp before free agency this past off-season. If the leadership group in the dressing room saw him as a major asset, I think that information gets up to management and they at least try to make an offer.

Saad was a stud in the playoffs but I haven’t really missed him at all. Newhook is just as good offensively in my opinion.