Rumor: 2023-2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Off-season is in full swing

[dahrougem2]

So the Avs did try to get out of the EJ contract in 2021 and he refused. Guess not for a lack of trying on Sakic's part.

The tidbit about not being offered a contract is interesting. I wonder if Joe spoke with EJ's agent to get a sense of what he was looking for and realized it would be way too rich? EJ says it's not about the money but he got paid pretty dang well for a guy who is a 3rd pairing defensemen now.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Since they’re already in to LTIR, they can’t bank cap space

Yup this. No banking for us this year.


That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Avs don't plan to use all of the LTIR cap space right now either.


I've been thinking the last few days they probably will want to leave themselves some wiggle room for injuries and also leave some room to add at the trade deadline as well.

For example if after they sign Colton they have $2.5M left in space, I can see them just adding 1 more $1.5M player and leaving $1M open. That way they have room to bring a player up for injuries and then hopefully at the deadline have $2M or so to go add another player.

 

[UncleRisto]

So the Avs did try to get out of the EJ contract in 2021 and he refused. Guess not for a lack of trying on Sakic's part.

The tidbit about not being offered a contract is interesting. I wonder if Joe spoke with EJ's agent to get a sense of what he was looking for and realized it would be way too rich? EJ says it's not about the money but he got paid pretty dang well for a guy who is a 3rd pairing defensemen now.

Oh yeah, EJ got paid three times his Avs money for sure. Of course it's about the money.

 

[redacted]

So the Avs did try to get out of the EJ contract in 2021 and he refused. Guess not for a lack of trying on Sakic's part.

The tidbit about not being offered a contract is interesting. I wonder if Joe spoke with EJ's agent to get a sense of what he was looking for and realized it would be way too rich? EJ says it's not about the money but he got paid pretty dang well for a guy who is a 3rd pairing defensemen now.

Yeah those saying that Sakic wouldn't move EJ proven completely wrong. The Avs have tried for years... the teams the could have traded him to, the Avs didn't want to pay the price to dump the contract. Clearly EJ also shut down deals too.

 

[Linds]

Literally happened at the last deadline. They even got the Caps to retain on Eller.

Avs entered the playoffs with like 4M in cap space.

Cmac also stated in his post deadline interview that they were working on deal right until the last 10 minutes. I think they just ran out of time or the price was stupidly high

 

[BobRossColton]

I still think it'd be awesome to get McTavish out of Anaheim Girard+ for McTavish+

 

[Mighty Makar]

Do we take a chance on Zadina for $1M?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I still think it'd be awesome to get McTavish out of Anaheim Girard+ for McTavish+

Uhhhh. Why would Anaheim ever make that trade?

 

[redacted]

Do we take a chance on Zadina for $1M?

I'm sure the Avs would be interested, but Zadina would be pretty unlikely to sign here. He wants a guaranteed top 6 role.

 

[Gruyeriev]

That would be an interesting addition , hopefully he isn’t too banged up health wise

He signed with AZ. I just thought it would be such an Avs thing to do.

I'm sure the Avs would be interested, but Zadina would be pretty unlikely to sign here. He wants a guaranteed top 6 role.

What’s more guaranteed than playing on the top line with Mackinnon when Drouin inevitably gets front row seats in the press box?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Do we take a chance on Zadina for $1M?

I think I would.

If he wants a guaranteed Top 6 spot then throw him on a line with Mackinnon and start Drouin on the 3rd line. We pretty much have an open spot in our top 6 right now IMO.

Lehky - Mack - Zadina
Nuke - RyJo - Mikko
Wood - Colton - Drouin

If Zadina actually plays well that's great. If not move on from him by November(Make a similar trade as the Malgin trade last year essentially with someone) and then move Drouin into the Top 6.


I'd still rather get a more established guy like Tatar(We simply cant afford Tarasenko or Kane at this point). But Zadina does have some signs of still being able to put it all together honestly.

I'd take that risk on potentially finding a free Top 6 winger.

 

[BobRossColton]

Uhhhh. Why would Anaheim ever make that trade?

They've only got Fowler on LD, Girard can age with the team, zegras ,strome, and Carlsson now as centers

 

[AvsFan2123]

Sorry if i'm late to the party , what are the chances to have him on our roster or at least in the AHL in a near future ? This year ? next year ? ...

His contract in the KHL is up after this year I’m like 99% sure. With their season starting earlier than NHL and ending earlier, there’s a chance he could be over by like late March/early April depending how far his team goes. And with the comments his dad made in an interview a while back, the Kovalenko’s don’t seem too interested in AHL time. NHL or nothing.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

He signed with AZ. I just thought it would be such an Avs thing to do.


What’s more guaranteed than playing on the top line with Mackinnon when Drouin inevitably gets front row seats in the press box?

Sorry for some reason I thought you meant Gallagher

 

[Muffin]

EJ said in an interview on Altitude yesterday that he blocked a couple of trades in 2021 with his NMC.

I don’t know if Joe (Sakic) will appreciate this, I had a couple teams where I could have been traded to, but they were on my no-trade list, and I said ‘No, I’m not going there.’

Best Parts From Erik Johnson’s Final Radio Hit in Colorado

On Wednesday afternoon, Erik Johnson said his final goodbye to the Colorado Avalanche and their fans. He joined Brett Kane, Marc Moser, and Vic Lombardi on Altitude Sports Radio for almost an hour, and discussed a variety of topics. It’s been a busy few days, but I finally had time to sit down...

coloradohockeynow.com

Surprised they didn't offer him a contract, I would've taken him back at 1M.

 

[BobRossColton]

I just want this Colton deal done. Just ready to see how much space we'll have left

 

[UncleRisto]

Do we take a chance on Zadina for $1M?

No.

 

[dahrougem2]

Surprised they didn't offer him a contract, I would've taken him back at 1M.

I am assuming EJs camp likely told Sakic it would take a lot more than that.

 

[BobRossColton]

I still really really want Luostarinen+Forsling, if we can't keep Toews, we'd have a head start re-signing Forsling.

Probably went overboard but I did
2024, 2025 1sts Girard+OO

Forsling
Luostarinen
Denisenko

 

[Balthazar]

Sorry for some reason I thought you meant Gallagher

That would be an interesting addition , hopefully he isn’t too banged up health wise

He's washed and still has 4 more seasons at 6.5M per. One of the worst contract in the league.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think I would.

If he wants a guaranteed Top 6 spot then throw him on a line with Mackinnon and start Drouin on the 3rd line. We pretty much have an open spot in our top 6 right now IMO.

Lehky - Mack - Zadina
Nuke - RyJo - Mikko
Wood - Colton - Drouin

If Zadina actually plays well that's great. If not move on from him by November(Make a similar trade as the Malgin trade last year essentially with someone) and then move Drouin into the Top 6.


I'd still rather get a more established guy like Tatar(We simply cant afford Tarasenko or Kane at this point). But Zadina does have some signs of still being able to put it all together honestly.

I'd take that risk on potentially finding a free Top 6 winger.

I read Lehky Mack Zadina and instantly the bass line from Funky Cold Medina played through my mind.

 

[dahrougem2]

You don't sign Drouin then play him on the 3rd line just so you can appease Zadina.

Drouin has had a rough go of it the last several years but he has still shown to be a better player than Zadina. That move would make zero sense and would probably piss MacKinnon off, too. We know he wants Drouin here.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I suspect they’ll target a 3rd line wing with the remaining cap space and call it a day. A guy like Sundqvist, or Tatar.

With JJ resigning, I don’t think they need a D. They obviously like Malinski a lot too and want to see where he fits in.

4C will probably be Meyers. He showed improvements in his second stint up with the big club last year and he’s another guy they want to give more opportunity too.

 

[Balthazar]

You don't sign Drouin then play him on the 3rd line just so you can appease Zadina.

Drouin has had a rough go of it the last several years but he has still shown to be a better player than Zadina. That move would make zero sense and would probably piss MacKinnon off, too. We know he wants Drouin here.

Drouin is 1st line or bust. If we start playing him on the 2nd or 3rd line we're getting the same old Montreal Drouin and he might as well buy his ticket to join the Swiss league because he's out.

 

[Ceremony]

I know everyone was good in 21-22, but I'm glad EJ came out and had a resurgent season after blocking a trade away.