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

[sethro109]

Losing G will not hurt this team. Like at all.

The hate G gets is insane. Do you think he looked bad in the playoffs? Because I thought a lot of players looked like shit, but he was one of the few that was actually creating out there. Our forwards can't finish for shit, but he creating chaos down low and making smart moves. I think he's well worth his current contract. I also feel like since the half way mark of the season his play has been on an upward trajectory.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Losing G will not hurt this team. Like at all.

Do you even remember what our D looked like before we got G?

Yes, the Avs have gotten a lot better at finding dmen since but losing G absolutely does hurt. It hurts the depth. It will hurt a lot when Byram or Toews are injured and we are using...checks notes...Brad Hunt in the top 4. It's going to have to happen though, we will most likely be trading one of our LDs this summer for a 2C. But don't let your hate-on for G to convince yourself that the D won't be impacted by it.

 

[chet1926]

Losing G will not hurt this team. Like at all.

Yeah I've never understood why people and he love him so much. I see him as an average 2nd pairing guy, very moveable.

His 5M is needed elsewhere.

 

[Balthazar]

 

[Avaholic29]

Do you even remember what our D looked like before we got G?

Yes, the Avs have gotten a lot better at finding dmen since but losing G absolutely does hurt. It hurts the depth. It will hurt a lot when Byram or Toews are injured and we are using...checks notes...Brad Hunt in the top 4. It's going to have to happen though, we will most likely be trading one of our LDs this summer for a 2C. But don't let your hate-on for G to convince yourself that the D won't be impacted by it.

Do you not remember literally winning the cup without him? Hahaha he’s a good player but he doesn’t offer much else except transition skating.

 

[dahrougem2]

The hate G gets is insane. Do you think he looked bad in the playoffs? Because I thought a lot of players looked like shit, but he was one of the few that was actually creating out there. Our forwards can't finish for shit, but he creating chaos down low and making smart moves. I think he's well worth his current contract. I also feel like since the half way mark of the season his play has been on an upward trajectory.

Do you even remember what our D looked like before we got G?

Yes, the Avs have gotten a lot better at finding dmen since but losing G absolutely does hurt. It hurts the depth. It will hurt a lot when Byram or Toews are injured and we are using...checks notes...Brad Hunt in the top 4. It's going to have to happen though, we will most likely be trading one of our LDs this summer for a 2C. But don't let your hate-on for G to convince yourself that the D won't be impacted by it.

I'm sorry, but when this team goes on to play 14 of 20 games without Girard on the way to winning the Stanley Cup without missing a beat, I think we can confidently say this team will not miss Sam Girard.

 

[Avaholic29]

The hate G gets is insane. Do you think he looked bad in the playoffs? Because I thought a lot of players looked like shit, but he was one of the few that was actually creating out there. Our forwards can't finish for shit, but he creating chaos down low and making smart moves. I think he's well worth his current contract. I also feel like since the half way mark of the season his play has been on an upward trajectory.

Our forwards couldn’t finish for shit because we have none outside the top dogs. We have 3 top 2 LHD though so who’s getting dealt? Byram? No shot, Toews is better than Girard and gives us a better chance to win so what do you suggest?

 

[sethro109]

Our forwards couldn’t finish for shit because we have none outside the top dogs. We have 3 top 2 LHD though so who’s getting dealt? Byram? No shot, Toews is better than Girard and gives us a better chance to win so what do you suggest?

That we keep the 25 year old entering his prime.

I'm sorry, but when this team goes on to play 14 of 20 games without Girard on the way to winning the Stanley Cup without missing a beat, I think we can confidently say this team will not miss Sam Girard.

We win that cup loosing any 1 defender other than Makar.

 

[dahrougem2]

That we keep the 25 year old entering his prime.


We win that cup loosing any 1 defender other than Makar.

Strongly disagree. Bo Byram and Devon Toews were critical to that playoff run, too.

Sam Girard just isn't that important to this team. He is a 5M unneeded luxury. He is not even close to the caliber of player Toews is.

 

[Avaholic29]

That we keep the 25 year old entering his prime.


We win that cup loosing any 1 defender other than Makar.

We struggle to win that cup losing Toews, and even strength ice time leader in the finals bo Byram, don’t kid yourself.

 

[BobRossColton]

The ufas we sign this off season? How long-term should they be? Should they expire before mikko's new contract or after? I know it also depends on who.
My examples would be D Nikko Mikkola, Engvall and Kiviranta?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Do you not remember literally winning the cup without him? Hahaha he’s a good player but he doesn’t offer much else except transition skating.

I also remember Byrum missing most of the season and having the luxury of G to be able to roll with. I didn't say he wasn't the right player if we get to choose, I just said it's going to have an effect. We've been extremely fortunate the last several years to have this D. It's going to get thinner and you act as if it's a good thing for the D?

It's good for the team if we can get a good C in return, but the D is still going to be worse off for it.

 

[sethro109]

Strongly disagree. Bo Byram and Devon Toews were critical to that playoff run, too.

Sam Girard just isn't that important to this team. He is a 5M unneeded luxury. He is not even close to the caliber of player Toews is.

Toews is 30 and regressing.

Girard was fantastic in the Blues series before going down.

Our forwards were so stacked that we win that cup -1 of Toews, Manson, Bo and a healthy Girard.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Toews is 30 and regressing.

Girard was fantastic in the Blues series before going down.

Our forwards were so stacked that we win that cup -1 of Toews, Manson, Bo and a healthy Girard.

I'm not so sure we win without Manson. Our right side would consist of Makar and .

 

[sethro109]

I'm not so sure we win without Manson. Our right side would consist of Makar and .

EJ was good for the run, but it would definitely be a harder path.

 

[dahrougem2]

Toews is 30 and regressing.

Girard was fantastic in the Blues series before going down.

Our forwards were so stacked that we win that cup -1 of Toews, Manson, Bo and a healthy Girard.

Fantastic in the Blues series? You mean great in game 1 - like everyone else - and shitty in game 2 - like everyone else?

The guy played 2 games and was not missed at all in that series.

If anything, Byram was instrumental in the Avs winning that series with how well he played offensively.

 

[Pokecheque]

The hate G gets is insane. Do you think he looked bad in the playoffs? Because I thought a lot of players looked like shit, but he was one of the few that was actually creating out there. Our forwards can't finish for shit, but he creating chaos down low and making smart moves. I think he's well worth his current contract. I also feel like since the half way mark of the season his play has been on an upward trajectory.

Yeah, that’s just hyperbole to say that losing him wouldn’t hurt the team. He was a big reason the Avs remained in the thick of things while all the other defensemen were shifting in and out of the lineup. Not saying I’m 100% against moving him, they just better make certain it’s a worthy return if they do.

 

[shadow1]

The hate G gets is insane. Do you think he looked bad in the playoffs? Because I thought a lot of players looked like shit, but he was one of the few that was actually creating out there. Our forwards can't finish for shit, but he creating chaos down low and making smart moves. I think he's well worth his current contract. I also feel like since the half way mark of the season his play has been on an upward trajectory.

I didn't think Girard was good this post-season, no.

He was on the ice for 8/14 Seattle even strength goals in the series, while only being on the ice for (4) goals for. He was also a team worst -5 in Games 4-7.

I think he's a fine defenseman, but I definitely wouldn't be comfortable with him getting more minutes than the 19-21 he usually gets. If he was playing the same minutes/competition as Makar and Toews, I think he'd struggle.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Toews plays almost entirely all his minutes with MacKinnon and Makar.

Girard plays a lot of minutes with the heaping pile of trash the Avs rolled out in the bottom-9 this season. Not an even playing field.

Would the Avs miss Toews more than Girard? Sure, But, Girard will continue to play the same role he does now if Toews is traded.

I think the more important part of this conversation is do you feel Byram steps into Toews role without issue? If the answer is yes, then it’s easier to move Toews, with the return being higher for him.

Either way though… I think the more likely scenario is Girard is moved, or they don’t move a defenceman at all.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Toews plays almost entirely all his minutes with MacKinnon and Makar.

Girard plays a lot of minutes with the heaping pile of trash the Avs rolled out in the bottom-9 this season. Not an even playing field.

Would the Avs miss Toews more than Girard? Sure, But, Girard will continue to play the same role he does now if Toews is traded.

I think the more important part of this conversation is do you feel Byram steps into Toews role without issue? If the answer is yes, then it’s easier to move Toews, with the return being higher for him.

Either way though… I think the more likely scenario is Girard is moved, or they don’t move a defenceman at all.

Yep that's a very important factor as well. Its tough for Dmen to impact the game offensively when they dont get to play with the best forwards. Especially true for a team like the Avs this year that were hampered with injuries that really made the depth beyond the Top line pretty awful for large stretches of time during the season.

That said, I definitely dont think the Avs would feel the loss of Girard that much. Where they would start to potentially feel the impact is if/when injuries hit one of Toews or Byram. If we're healthy, those two guys playing Top 4 minutes wouldn't be an issue whatsoever. If one of them gets hurt and then you have a guy like Jack Johnson playing 2nd pair LD minutes, that's when losing Girard would feel especially bad.


The problem is, a Girard trade is probably going to be pretty underwhelming. He wont solve the 2C spot by himself.

 

[Balthazar]

Toews plays almost entirely all his minutes with MacKinnon and Makar.

Girard plays a lot of minutes with the heaping pile of trash the Avs rolled out in the bottom-9 this season. Not an even playing field.

Not only that but he's the LD that is constantly moved to the right side when Makar or Manson is injured in the top 4 (which is quite often, to say the least).

Girard is almost never in a comfortable position with a steady RD next to him and the first line on the ice.

Toews on the other hand plays on his natural side with the best dman in the league and one of the best line in hockey.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Not only that but he's the LD that is constantly moved to the right side when Makar or Manson is injured in the top 4 (which is quite often, to say the least).

Girard is almost never in a comfortable position with a steady RD next to him and the first line on the ice.

Toews on the other hand plays on his natural side with the best dman in the league and one of the best line in hockey.

I agree and my main point is that any of these LD’s should be on the table for the right forward.

Because they have 3 top-4 LD’s and they only need two.

I’m not attached to any of them. Byram would be my last choice to move because of his age and potential, but I wouldn’t exclude him either.

 

[The Abusement Park]

This post would hit better if we didn't just see Nuke do this less than a year ago.

Nuke certainly didn't take a discount on his contract.

 

[Balthazar]

Nuke certainly didn't take a discount on his contract.

No one did and no one will.

 

[dahrougem2]

Not only that but he's the LD that is constantly moved to the right side when Makar or Manson is injured in the top 4 (which is quite often, to say the least).

This is not true. When Makar went down this season and the Avs had Toews/Byram/Girard in the lineup Bednar did not gravitate towards moving Girard. More often than not it was Byram shifting to the right.

Bednar realized Girard is even worse playing the right side and stopped moving him there.