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

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Thank You - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Thank you for the amazing 9 years

www.capfriendly.com

Cap friendly has a salary cap breakdown of each team for this past season now on the main page, and you can see the breakdown of each team by position as well.


The Avs spent the most money of any team in the league on Defense. $31,431,667 of our total cap was spent on the Defense, which also represented 37.4% of our total cap hit. Second place was Boston at $30,200,000 and 35.4%. No other team really came close to those two...

Meanwhile, we spent only $40,148,33 and 47.8% of our space on the Forwards. The only other playoff teams to spend less on the forwards was Minnesota(Because they had $12M in dead cap space) and Carolina(Who had $20M in injuries on the bench).


Point being, we absolutely need to allocate some of the money spent on the Defense to the forwards. We simply cant compete with the forwards being as weak as it is, given how important forward depth is for deep playoff runs.

 

[Balthazar]

Byram is not asking for 7M right now. I feel like you're thinking of these requests and not thinking of the cap rising. You can't keep those two things separate. Rise in cap hits of certain players is accompanied by the rise in salary cap. Yes, it's only going to be 1M next season but there's a strong chance it goes up by several million by the time Byram for example needs a new deal.

So yes, we absolutely can trade Girard for forward help. I don't know why any team would desire him unless they have a Josh Manson-like defender who can be paired with him at all times, but he needs to go. You don't win playoff hockey games with Sam Girards.

But we need to use that extra cap space on forward depth.

I don't know why you think it's even a remote possibility that we re-sign Toews. It doesn't make sense with Byram taking his place shortly on the first pair, it doesn't make sense with his age and decline (that may have already started) and it doesn't make sense with our cap allocation.

I don't care if we keep Toews as our own rental and let him walk but we aren't re-upping him so unless Behrens can take Girard's minutes we gotta keep him.

 

[Balthazar]

Prediction: History will repeat itself.

Barrie had 1 year left under contract, Makar was going to take his RD spot, Barrie got traded for a 2C with term.

Toews has 1 year left under contract, Byram is going to take his LD spot, Toews will get traded for a 2C with term.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

You can't think of the team in that regard. If the Avs trade Girard, they're likely re-signing Toews.

They also might think of Behrens as a future 2nd pairing guy on the left side.

You don't keep Girard just because you think you'll lack defensemen in two years.

If there's a team out there willing to give value for him (shocking IMO) you move him immediately.

If the Avs trade Girard, they better have already re-signed Toews. He tests the market he's gone. I would do what you need to do to determine if it is possible before the draft and then plan on moving Toews at the draft for a 2C if he's not re-signed. If he is, then if another team want's Girard instead, so be it.

I am struggling though with what the returns should be for Girard and Toews. On Toews side, you'd be getting one year of a top-flight top defensemen at 4M and exclusive negotiating rights for an 8 year deal.

With Giard, we all agree you're not getting the same quality as you would with Toews. Girard in my opinion is a definite top-4 Dman though, regardless of the hate or the fact that when the team is fully healthy he can be on the third pair, he's still a good puck-moving, transition machine. He also took quite a few thumps and actually was dishing hits at times during the Seattle series, so I'm a going to start cutting him some slack on the he can't play in the playoffs thing for a bit. But he's got 4 years left at a very reasonable/respectable 5M given that he's re-found his game. How does that value stack up against Toews?

Team making that trade with us better be sure than can re-sign Toews if that's the way thew want to go though. But heh, if we trade him, he's no longer our worry.

 

[ABasin]

Thank You - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Thank you for the amazing 9 years

www.capfriendly.com

Cap friendly has a salary cap breakdown of each team for this past season now on the main page, and you can see the breakdown of each team by position as well.


The Avs spent the most money of any team in the league on Defense. $31,431,667 of our total cap was spent on the Defense, which also represented 37.4% of our total cap hit. Second place was Boston at $30,200,000 and 35.4%. No other team really came close to those two...

Meanwhile, we spent only $40,148,33 and 47.8% of our space on the Forwards. The only other playoff teams to spend less on the forwards was Minnesota(Because they had $12M in dead cap space) and Carolina(Who had $20M in injuries on the bench).


Point being, we absolutely need to allocate some of the money spent on the Defense to the forwards. We simply cant compete with the forwards being as weak as it is, given how important forward depth is for deep playoff runs.

The real issue is that they spent <$15M on centers, yes? And that's including Rodriques as a C. Where did the Avs rank in C salary?

You can't think of the team in that regard. If the Avs trade Girard, they're likely re-signing Toews.

They also might think of Behrens as a future 2nd pairing guy on the left side.

You don't keep Girard just because you think you'll lack defensemen in two years.

If there's a team out there willing to give value for him (shocking IMO) you move him immediately.

A lot of faith being put into a 170lb guy who has never played a professional game in his life.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

The real issue is that they spent <$15M on centers, yes? And that's including Rodriques as a C. Where did the Avs rank in C salary?

Yeah, they definitely need to allocate a lot more money at Center in particular. Capfriendly only ranks them by Forward/Defense/Goalie and then injuries so I'm not sure where they would rank among Centers. It can probably be figured out fairly quickly though.


But yeah, they need to drastically improve at Center this summer. IMO a 2C and 3C should be the top priority even over a winger to replace Landeskog. If you have strong centers you can get away with being thin on the wings(Which even still we're going to have Mikko, Lehky, Nuke, and possibly Newhook on the wing still).

 

[niwotsblessing]

On Toews side, you'd be getting one year of a top-flight top defensemen at 4M and exclusive negotiating rights for an 8 year deal.

Toews playing without Makar is a whole different player, he will not be at the same level that he is now. A consideration.

Byram on the 2nd pair with the right partner (a healthy Manson, or similar) allows Makar, Byram, and Toews to be on the ice for large chunks of a game. A consideration.

Girard, Newhook +1st (+OO, or similar) should land us a proper 2C. A consideration.

 

[Chiarelli]

Guys, how much more of a sample size do we need to see to finally recognize that removing Sam Girard from this lineup in the playoffs isn’t the detriment people believe it is.

Look, he’s a great puck moving defenseman. In fact he’s a real good hockey player overall. Problem is, that’s only occurred in the regular season. The playoffs are a different sport plain and simple and Girard has failed there over and over again.

Girard is trade bait. He was trade bait last summer to the point where his teammates expected him gone. He’s a luxury to this team but now the Avs can’t really afford a 5 million dollar luxury. He’s a good player, on a good contract but I feel pretty confident that his time is up to address a bigger need.

Which teammates expected him gone? First I’ve heard of this.

Trade two of Toews/G/Byram (restock assets, rebuild depth).

Sign Orlov

Win cups

 

[GirardSpinorama]

G for texier plus Andrew peek? Would add some a couple of good young talents that fits better with the team.

 

[the_fan]

Toews for Marner straight up?

 

[Mighty Makar]

Toews for Marner straight up?

Lol.

 

[Ararana]

Toews for Marner straight up?

If one of the LHDs get traded for a winger while we're being crippled by the hole at 2C I'm going to rage.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Toews for Marner straight up?

Marner really would fit this team extremely well... I think his defensive ability would be a huge benefit for us, and obviously hes a top offensive player as well.

Marner - Mackinnon - Rantanen

Would be a ridiculous line.


But unless the Leafs are retaining a significant portion on that contract, it'd never work for us. We cant afford his cap hit at all.

 

[Chiarelli]

We already have a marner he’s just bigger, paid less, and produces in the playoffs. Big Moose FTW

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

We already have a marner he’s just bigger, paid less, and produces in the playoffs. Big Moose FTW

They aren't even remotely similar players...

 

[Chiarelli]

They aren't even remotely similar players...

Very different indeed. Mainly saying we have our expensive first line wingersorted out the money needs to be put elsewhere.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

What do you guys think of targeting Jesper Fast for the third line this summer? He's on the wrong side of 30, but still appears to be a great defensive/PK guy with a little offensive pop.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

What do you guys think of targeting Jesper Fast for the third line this summer? He's on the wrong side of 30, but still appears to be a great defensive/PK guy with a little offensive pop.

I like him a lot but don't think we can afford him. He's probably getting $3M+ if I were to guess.

 

[MacKaRant]

I like him a lot but don't think we can afford him. He's probably getting $3M+ if I were to guess.

I have a feeling that bottom 6 players will be the foremost victims of the cap crunch once again this off-season. For teams serious about competing next year, there isn't a lot of cap to go around. And rebuilding teams will want to save roster slots for their prospects.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I have a feeling that bottom 6 players will be the foremost victims of the cap crunch once again this off-season. For teams serious about competing next year, there isn't a lot of cap to go around. And rebuilding teams will want to save roster slots for their prospects.

Maybe a couple guys will be... But plenty of bottom 6 sorts got paid last summer. And Fast is probably one of the best 3rd liner wingers on the market this summer. Especially the deeper Carolina goes, the more his money will go up.

 

[MacKaRant]

Maybe a couple guys will be... But plenty of bottom 6 sorts got paid last summer. And Fast is probably one of the best 3rd liner wingers on the market this summer. Especially the deeper Carolina goes, the more his money will go up.

Who are you thinking of? Jarnkrok, who I'd consider a middle 6 option, got $2.1m AAV (4 year term to drive down cost a bit). Of course, we're very familiar with Rodrigues, middle 6 guy for $2m. Kubalik at $2.5m another middle 6.

Nico Strum at $2m for 3 years is the largest "bottom six" contract that I could find from last off season.

Deslauriers for $1.75m for 4 years was crazy and everyone laughed at Philly.

But who else in bottom 6 really got paid last off season?

 

[lionsDen]

Am I crazy for saying with the way the economy is we won’t see much of a rise to the cap?

 

[Freaky Styley]

The only way I want Marner is if he's at 50%. through a team like Philly. I'd trade Byram in that case. Him and Crosby would be the only 2 I'd move Bo for

 

[Vaslof]

Am I crazy for saying with the way the economy is we won’t see much of a rise to the cap?

Yeah you are. The rich people are doing better than ever.

 

[the_fan]

If one of the LHDs get traded for a winger while we're being crippled by the hole at 2C I'm going to rage.

Avs need both top 6 winger and center. If trading Toews or Girard for either center or wing you can choose to either get an elite wing then find a decent C or vice a versa.