Rumor: 2023-2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Offseason Edition

[Bill Peckerskull]

Reports seem to suggest he's already giving Lindholm a huge deal and he's saying no thanks.

IDK about that. IMO, it's that Lindholm has told them he probably won't resign there, but if they free up a lot of space and offer him $9+M to stay, he might just change his mind. They would also probably get really good returns for all 3 of those players, and quite possibly make themselves better.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Some of you guys are weird...

"We can't afford to re-up any of Lindholm or Dubois if we do trade for them..."

We absolutely CAN re-up Lindholm or Dubois should the Avs decide to go that route. Lindholm is the very best target because his salary would count for $4.85M against the cap this upcoming year and his extension would only count towards next year's cap. That's HUGE for the Avs if they want to get back to competing for the Cup starting next season. Dubois, we can also do but we'd need to re-up him right away and that's going to be around $8M counting against the cap right away making it much harder to round out a solid roster.

To be fair, I haven't seen anyone say this, maybe they're on my ignore list

 

[EdAVSfan]

Reports seem to suggest he's already giving Lindholm a huge deal and he's saying no thanks.

Yes but that was similar to both Tkachuk and Gaudreau. They seemingly had better offers from Calgary than they ultimately got from Florida and Columbus, respectively.

This could be simply be more of a situation where they don’t want to be in Calgary rather than it being solely about money.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

Would anyone else not be shocked if Conroy trades Kadri + Backlund + Hanfin, and gives Lidnholm a huge deal, to keep him?

Yes . Or Huberdeau to Arizona

 

[Sea Eagles]

Newhook is 22 and took a step backward this year, imo. I don't know how much improvement/potential could be left in him on *this* team.

He hasn't worked out at C, and he gets worked off the puck too much at wing. What was once thought to be a separating skill--his skating--just isn't that at the NHL level.

If you're solely stat-watching as a basis for "improving every year", then one could reasonably argue that he did not, in fact, improve in his 2nd year vs. his 1st: 30pts this year vs. 33 last.

On the subject of JTC--I think he's fine, but he almost always ends up in a spot that he's not suited for on this team. We saw the Avs try and force JTC and Tyson Jost to be the 2C before they got Kadri, and then we saw them trot out JTC and Newhook this last year and the results were the same--playoff failure. What happened after the Trade Deadline when CMac didn't get an actual 2C? JTC disappeared, like many around here thought he would.

Compher hit a career high in points--52--at the best time, because he's going to cash in and good for him, I'm just glad it won't be with us.

I'll forever be grateful for what the entire team did in 2022, but I'm fine with moving on from Newhook (I hope he is traded this offseason) and JTC.

I understand what you're saying, but you're trading away and letting go our 4th and 10th best scorers this last season. On top of Landy not returning, Bura / Kadri gone, that's a bit of production we need to bring in, and we still haven't re-signed Rodrigues.

We are an offensive Powerhouse, and need the numbers to be able to play on our toes.

In my opinion, we haven't been a team that has an openness to drastic change. Some people have argued that we need like 10 players in and out. In my view, it's the loyalty and consistency that's added to our continued strength despite injuries, so for mine, the status quo is my weapon of choice.

Plus, to be honest, I get heartbroken when any of our players leave. Literally tears heartbroken haha.

That's honestly why I hope we can fit all of EJ, Newy and JT in, then possibly add 1/2 players tops to strengthen us. With that consistency and added depth, I truly think we win a cup next season..

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Lindholm’s gonna get the Horvat contract and I’m soooo ok with that. Being Elite down the middle while having the best defenseman on the planet under contract for the next 4 years allows this team to play playoff hockey and possibly even contend for a cup the entire time regardless of who you plug and play through the rest of the lineup.

Honestly with a rising cap, having Mackinnon+Makar+Lindholm under contract for a combined 30M is actually kinda nice. Move other pieces to make things work as needed but if Lindholm is available I think you simply have to win that bidding war and lock him up long term.

 

[chet1926]

Yeah EJ should only be brought back for $1M or less and he can almost certainly get a $2M deal on the open market. Good for the Avs to move on...


Another one @chet1926 was certain would be back

I dunno if the Flames are a team that would take on a small Dman, but with how many players they've had the last few years that refuse to re-sign with them, you gotta believe a guy like Girard who's signed for 4 more years at a very friendly cap hit would be tempting for them.

Especially with Hanifin gone.

Just because EJ isn't coming back doesn't mean they aren't going to bring back others.

Still sticking with my initial prediction of less roster turnover than people are expecting.

 

[Bender]

And he's worth it, honestly. A teams motivator and leader is very hard to replace. We shouldn't devalue what value he adds to the culture of this place. He has a right to go out on his own terms, and we should accommodate him.

We already did. We saw him through to the end of his deal - the Avs didn't buy out the last year of his contract when they could have last summer to give us more flexibility and improve the team in other ways.

Do you realize that we had a BOTTOM-PAIRING D-MAN costing us $6M against the cap last season? In fact, it's been quite a few seasons that Erik Johnson hasn't been worth his $6M. By my calculations, the last season EJ's been a top-4 guy was maybe in 2019-20 and I'm being generous.

Don't get it twisted - we did him right by keeping him onboard all this time even though his salary wasn't necessarily matching up with his place in the lineup.

EJ is clearly exercising his right to go out and make the most money he possibly can. The more power to him but the Avs should in NO WAY be in the business of signing a bottom pairing guy to that kind of contract.

 

[chet1926]

Lindholm’s gonna get the Horvat contract and I’m soooo ok with that. Being Elite down the middle while having the best defenseman on the planet under contract for the next 4 years allows this team to play playoff hockey and possibly even contend for a cup the entire time regardless of who you plug and play through the rest of the lineup.

Honestly with a rising cap, having Mackinnon+Makar+Lindholm under contract for a combined 30M is actually kinda nice. Move other pieces to make things work as needed but if Lindholm is available I think you simply have to win that bidding war and lock him up long term.

Yeah I'd be good with getting Lindholm. That would be a huge step to being competitive the next 5 years.

 

[redacted]

Affording or not affording a center is a choice. The Avs can choose to do it, we just don’t know if they will.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Lindholm having 1 more year on his deal is pretty clutch as well.

$8.5M would be extremely tough to fit into the cap this summer, doable but it would hurt our ability to build much quality depth again.

But him only making $4.85M this year and then $8.5M next year would be so much easier for us to accommodate.

Especially if the cap finally does rise by ~$4M next summer, that rise alone would cover Lindholms raise. Then you've just gotta find money for Toews(This is where they dump Manson IMO), we wouldn't have any other money to worry about next summer.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

I hate this f***en team.

…uh oh ??

 

[Ararana]

Affording or not affording a center is a choice. The Avs can choose to do it, we just don’t know if they will.

How many times do they have to make the same mistake before they finally learn. The Avs playoff struggles are correlated with their 2C position.

 

[Sea Eagles]

We already did. We saw him through to the end of his deal - the Avs didn't buy out the last year of his contract when they could have last summer to give us more flexibility and improve the team in other ways.

Do you realize that we had a BOTTOM-PAIRING D-MAN costing us $6M against the cap last season? In fact, it's been quite a few seasons that Erik Johnson hasn't been worth his $6M. By my calculations, the last season EJ's been a top-4 guy was maybe in 2019-20 and I'm being generous.

Don't get it twisted - we did him right by keeping him onboard all this time even though his salary wasn't necessarily matching up with his place in the lineup.

EJ is clearly exercising his right to go out and make the most money he possibly can. The more power to him but the Avs should in NO WAY be in the business of signing a bottom pairing guy to that kind of contract.

That bottom pair guy though was a major part and mechanism to us winning a Stanley Cup, so no-one can really criticise what we did. Who knows if we'd have won it if he left?

Anyways, he wouldn't be on anything close to 6 mill now, and we need his consistency, leadership and voice right now. There.wouodnt be a better veteran and leader to mentor some of the younger players, particularly key players who may be facing adversity if you get what I mean.

If you.look at it that way, do you think he has value then?

 

[Bender]

Yeah I'd be good with getting Lindholm. That would be a huge step to being competitive the next 5 years.

If they are moving on from Hanifin as rumored (I can totally see a Hanifin for Nylander trade happen) I have to believe that Conroy getting his hands on a D-Man like Sammy G signed for the next 4 years has got to be appealing.

It's kind of the reverse of the Barrie-Kadri trade contract-wise. Kadri was signed for 3 years when we traded for him and Barrie had 1 year left on his contract. Kadri was playing as the #3C behind Matthews and Tavares and here the Avs have Toews and Byram. Obviously, it wouldn't be a 1 for 1 trade but if Conroy wants to get established players back, I think Avs management have to get this done.

 

[dahrougem2]

You're honestly giving up on a smaller 21-22 year old kid that scored 30 something points on a team where he had different linemates almost every other night during the season proper?

Kid has wheels. He has fight. He has tenacity. He is a Stanley Cup winner. He's improved every year (like I said JT would this year).

You should look at someone like Marty St Louis early years stats, before we so easily throw away this absolute gold star talent.

Secondly, JT's production is what 50-60 odd points this season? Pretty sure he has a healthy plus / minus too. We'll just have to disagree on that one.

I think people are way too harsh. Don't give up in them mate, they'll surprise you next season with some added depth and more consistency (and touch wood) - WAY less injuries through the team

Brother, Alex Newhook is/can be/have a lot of things.

Fight is not one of those things. Alex Newhook has ZERO fight in his game. It's actually pathetic to watch.

 

[Bender]

That bottom pair guy though was a major part and mechanism to us winning a Stanley Cup, so no-one can really criticise what we did. Who knows if we'd have won it if he left?

Anyways, he wouldn't be on anything close to 6 mill now, and we need his consistency, leadership and voice right now. There.wouodnt be a better veteran and leader to mentor some of the younger players, particularly key players who may be facing adversity if you get what I mean.

If you.look at it that way, do you think he has value then?

I'm not trying to downplay what EJ meant to the Avs - especially during our Cup run. He was a big part of that team and helped us win the ultimate prize.

This just comes down to a salary cap game where the Avs cannot justify keeping him on this team unless he's willing to take close to the league minimum - sort of like what Mark Giordano has done with the Leafs :

Giordano came off a massive contract ($6.75M per) but realized he was a bottom pairing guy at that point and signed at a team friendly number to help the team improve elsewhere.

Something like that, was always going to be the only way EJ stays with the Avs beyond his $6M per year contract. Money is just too tight against the cap. If there was no salary cap and teams could just pay players whatever they wanted - sure give him another big contract and let him play only 40 games or so to stay fresh the whole year but that's not how it goes in the NHL. You give EJ $1M-$2M more than he's worth and that means you're weaker in another part of the lineup because of it.

By the way - a grand total of ZERO people are actually upset that he's choosing to test the market - it's his right. If nothing materialized and the Avs still have an open slot, maybe they'll still end up bringing him back.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Would anyone else not be shocked if Conroy trades Kadri + Backlund + Hanfin, and gives Lidnholm a huge deal, to keep him?

I mean I don’t think Lindholm would sign there so.

 

[RockLobster]

I understand what you're saying, but you're trading away and letting go our 4th and 10th best scorers this last season. On top of Landy not returning, Bura / Kadri gone, that's a bit of production we need to bring in, and we still haven't re-signed Rodrigues.

We are an offensive Powerhouse, and need the numbers to be able to play on our toes.

In my opinion, we haven't been a team that has an openness to drastic change. Some people have argued that we need like 10 players in and out. In my view, it's the loyalty and consistency that's added to our continued strength despite injuries, so for mine, the status quo is my weapon of choice.

Plus, to be honest, I get heartbroken when any of our players leave. Literally tears heartbroken haha.

That's honestly why I hope we can fit all of EJ, Newy and JT in, then possibly add 1/2 players tops to strengthen us. With that consistency and added depth, I truly think we win a cup next season..

Can't fit all those players in to come back, at the salaries that they will likely get, AND add 1/2 additional players. Just can't happen.

And a lot of what you're talking about with players like EJ (whom I also have a soft spot for, but it's just a numbers game at this point), Newhook, and JTC...you're speaking a lot about intangibles that just aren't worth the $ that these players will get.

Newhook will likely get something like 2M on his next deal...I don't think he's really worth that, not with what he's shown through 2 seasons with the Avs. He just doesn't have a fit on this team as it's constructed.

JTC will likely get between 5-5.5M, possibly up to 6 if there's an actual bidding war for his services. He's not worth that. And I LOVE what JTC did in 2022. He peaked out at THE most opportune time, and yes he helped us win the Cup, but he's not worth that contract.

I've already said that I think EJ could likely get anywhere from 3-4.5M on his next deal, which could be a bit high, so let's conservatively knock it down to 2-2.5M...that's still too much for what he now brings to the table.

The Avs are currently projected to have $19.5M in Cap Space when you factor in Gabe's LTIR. If we did 5.5 for JTC, 2M for Newhook, and 2.5M for EJ, that's $10M even. Leaving roughly 9.5M to re-sign Byram (and it feels like that's going to be a GRIND). Let's say he ends up "winning" the negotiation and gets around the 4.5M (maybe not as much as he wanted, but certainly more than what I'm assuming the Avs will want to give him at the start), that's leaving 5M exactly to round out the rest of the roster. Like 5 Forward spots and, ideally, 1 D spot.

It's just not feasible.

 

[Muffin]

We can absolutely afford Lindholm especially since the cap is supposed to take that 4M raise next season.

 

[MacKaRtin]

We can absolutely afford Lindholm especially since the cap is supposed to take that 4M raise next season.

I'm of the belief that that particular cap raise is already earmarked for Toews. Just my guess obviously.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

JTC on the third line as a utility player at 3.5m is how you win.

JTC at 6m as second line C is how you lose in the first round.

And yes I truly think someone will throw 6m at him.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Apparently the Flyers turned down a 1st and 2nd for Laughton.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

Apparently the Flyers turned down a 1st and 2nd for Laughton.

Hmmm. Probably very late picks from a top team ?

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Apparently the Flyers turned down a 1st and 2nd for Laughton.

for a 29-year-old guy that has never topped 18 goals and 43 points in any one season? I mean, if someone offered me that for JTC I'd take it.