Rumor: 2023-24 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Part Deux

[LOFIN]

We’ve literally watched Drouin go from barely playing minutes/healthy scratched to being used as a top minute forward. And it was his play that dictated his usage.

Bednar will increase roles if the player earns those minutes.

To an extent. No matter how badly Mikko plays, he will not get demoted to the 4th line and Bednar elevates LOC to the top line for his effort. And the same goes for Byram getting into the top pairing. It's not happening with the Avs, no matter how well Byram plays.

 

[Ararana]

Yup… if a player earns roles, he will give them. We’ve seen it directly which Byram too… when he’s rolling, he’s fed minutes.

This is a completely fair assessment. We've actually seen a fair share of Byram - Makar this season earlier in the year when Byram was wasn't struggling but Toews was.

 

[PAZ]

I think it could work… my issue is I think Lindholm, to get the best out of him, requires a guy with creativity. Nuke for all his strengths is not creative.

Are you saying Huberdeau isn't creative?

 

[The Abusement Park]

I don't think us resigning Toews had anything to do with Byram. We Resigned Toews because he is a top 5 Dman in the league and we got a sweetheart of a contract from him

As a whole I agree. But had Byram taken a leap to a legit top pairing guy there’s less need to sign Toews and they potentially cash in on his value/ use him as our own rental. Adds some flexibility to the roster and cap structure going forwards. But with Byrams play and health Toews became as important as ever.

 

[henchman21]

To an extent. No matter how badly Mikko plays, he will not get demoted to the 4th line and Bednar elevates LOC to the top line for his effort. And the same goes for Byram getting into the top pairing. It's not happening with the Avs, no matter how well Byram plays.

Byram has played quite a bit with Makar over the years…

Are you saying Huberdeau isn't creative?

The scary part is Hubi and Rants have similar faults when it comes to effort and poor play…

 

[Balthazar]

The scary part is Hubi and Rants have similar faults when it comes to effort and poor play…

Seems like the Flames got a deal at 10.5M AAV since Mikko's UFA contract will cost 13M AAV.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

He really is not. Jost has great defensive stats and he sure as hell has a lot more offensive ability than Olofsson. Lots of people here are just blinded by the fact he was drafted 10th overall.

We've had Jost here. He can't play in a defensive role, and he doesn't have enough skill for an offensive role. The advanced stats don't tell the whole story, especially when we've already seen this before.

 

[Foppa2118]

As others have said here, if Byram’s play shows he’s better than Toews than I bet Bednar gives him that role. He hasn’t been close especially related to defensive play. If he believes he’s first pairing D easiest to get there is with your play. Show it to earn it.

Toews doesn't block Byram long term. He turns 30 next month. Bo is 22 until June.

Byram already plays a fair amount with Makar too. They switch up the D pairs within games. If the score is tied or they're down, they usually put Byram with Cale toward the end of the 2nd period. Then continue to do so sporadically in the 3rd.

But if they need to protect a lead, for the last month or so, they have Byram out with Manson in the final minute of periods and games.

Toews isn't a lock to stay his entire contract either. Based on comments from RIAL about his NTC and wanting to stay in the West, it almost sounded to me like they might have had a conversation about moving him back to Vancouver if they need to clear cap space down the road. Just my speculation though.

 

[Balthazar]

Toews doesn't block Byram long term. He turns 30 next month. Bo is 22 until June.

Byram's contract is up in less than 2 years.

 

[Foppa2118]

Byram's contract is up in less than 2 years.

I don't think that has an impact on this. He'll be an RFA not a UFA.

Things will get sorted with Byram and Toews as long as the team is patient. Bo is still very young in his career, despite what the commentary here would suggest.

If Bo outplays him or Toews game slips as he gets older, Bo will likely spend more time on the top pair.

If he doesn't, then he'll stay on the 2nd pair, which is also a need. Bo doesn't need to play on the top pair. Though I think at their best, he's the best option. I do think he should be playing on the point for PP2 at some point though. He's just better there IMO.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

To elaborate on why I think the 3rd line is a problem, it's because they don't have a big enough impact AND due to their salaries we can't afford a #2C, especially if Landy comes back. In a vacuum I love what they bring, the issue is that they can't be elevated in the lineup even temporary.

IMO, a $4 mil #3C that plays 12-13 minutes a night is a luxury, and one we can't afford.

There's some consistency issues with both guys missing time, but when Colton and Wood are just forechecking relentlessly they give the Avs a very different look. I think it's something that can work and be very valuable as it sets the tone for the team, but it also creates disruption for the other team.

I don't think it's been helped that we have seen the resurgence of lazy Rantanen and that Lehkonen has been out for an extended period of time. This team thrives on continued pressure, and I think that third line brings that.

 

[Pokecheque]

He really is not. Jost has great defensive stats and he sure as hell has a lot more offensive ability than Olofsson. Lots of people here are just blinded by the fact he was drafted 10th overall.

Absolutely none of that is true.

And before you say anything about Jost being in Buffalo, here's Josty's stat card from his final season in Colorado. Even splitting time between COL and a better defensive team in MIN his numbers were shit.

Olofsson has never been an offensive dynamo but to say Jost has "a lot more" offensive ability is not even debatable. It's patently false. The only time Jost had impactul numbers offensively was playing 3rd line center when the Avs had a very favorable post-bubble schedule and he was centering a pair of wingers on ridiculous hot streaks in Nichushkin and Donskoi. Once the postseason started he disappeared. Beyond that he's had decent, but not great defensive numbers and his offense has been largely nonexistent.

No one's "blind" here, bro. We watched the same player you did.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

To elaborate on why I think the 3rd line is a problem, it's because they don't have a big enough impact AND due to their salaries we can't afford a #2C, especially if Landy comes back. In a vacuum I love what they bring, the issue is that they can't be elevated in the lineup even temporary.

IMO, a $4 mil #3C that plays 12-13 minutes a night is a luxury, and one we can't afford.

I really don't think so if we were balanced properly.

The problem IMO isn't spending too much money on 3C, it's spending too much money on #3/4/5 Dmen and on the wing in general(With Landy in the fold at least).

Particularly on Defense right now, $13.35M on your 3-5 Dmen is simply way to much. That number shouldn't be above $10M and honestly I'd prefer it closer to $8M especially with our top pairing being as strong as it is.


To me in a perfectly balanced roster where we keep our core guys you'd have:


$7M(Landy)- $12.6M(Mack) - $9.25M(Mikko)
$4.5M(Lehky) - $8M - $6M(Nuke)
$1.5M - $4M(Wood) - $1.5M
$0.8M - $0.8M - $0.8M


$7M(Toews) - $9M(Makar)
$3M - $3M
$1.5M - $0.8M

$3M
$1M


A roster with those constructions roughly would be about $85M next year, with $2.5M to fill out extra skaters or for some nuance on these guys(IE Nuke being $6.125M instead of $6M, Toews $7.25M, etc).

But they're simply spending too much money on middle pairing Dmen and overall too much money on the wings. It's a lot of spots where $500-$1M overpays start to add up quickly.

 

[Balthazar]

Absolutely none of that is true.
View attachment 800344

And before you say anything about Jost being in Buffalo, here's Josty's stat card from his final season in Colorado. Even splitting time between COL and a better defensive team in MIN his numbers were shit.

View attachment 800345

Olofsson has never been an offensive dynamo but to say Jost has "a lot more" offensive ability is not even debatable. It's patently false. The only time Jost had impactul numbers offensively was playing 3rd line center when the Avs had a very favorable post-bubble schedule and he was centering a pair of wingers on ridiculous hot streaks in Nichushkin and Donskoi. Once the postseason started he disappeared. Beyond that he's had decent, but not great defensive numbers and his offense has been largely nonexistent.

No one's "blind" here, bro. We watched the same player you did.

You guys are arguing about Jost and Olofsson? With graphics, long texts and all?

 

[Ararana]

But if they need to protect a lead, for the last month or so, they have Byram out with Manson in the final minute of periods and games.

Yup. Bednar really wants Manson to be what Toews is for Makar and I think it's a decent plan, it's just been a bit up and down this season. EJ was a perfect partner for Byram during the cup run and I think Bednar and Pratt are trying to reproduce that with Manson.

Bednar has been very vocal that Manson is Byram's partner and that he considers them the second pairing. See the 5:50 mark here.

I don't think that has an impact on this. He'll be an RFA not a UFA.

Any cap savy posters know what Byram's arb rights are after this contract?

 

[henchman21]

To elaborate on why I think the 3rd line is a problem, it's because they don't have a big enough impact AND due to their salaries we can't afford a #2C, especially if Landy comes back. In a vacuum I love what they bring, the issue is that they can't be elevated in the lineup even temporary.

IMO, a $4 mil #3C that plays 12-13 minutes a night is a luxury, and one we can't afford.

I agree overall. The third line is really a bunch of chaos machines 4th liners who can skate at a 3rd line level. Colton is probably a legit 3rd liner, but the other two are just simple hard nosed hockey. Which is great to get energy, get momentum, and pressure teams… there is just zero creativity or differing ways to create offense. It is like a 4th line you can play for 13-14 minutes, but not a great 3rd line. Like it won’t compare with the Karlsson/Smith duo for the Knights last spring. The Colton line is really one dimensional and won’t ever skill people. They are just pure pressure and physicality.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I agree overall. The third line is really a bunch of chaos machines 4th liners who can skate at a 3rd line level. Colton is probably a legit 3rd liner, but the other two are just simple hard nosed hockey. Which is great to get energy, get momentum, and pressure teams… there is just zero creativity or differing ways to create offense. It is like a 4th line you can play for 13-14 minutes, but not a great 3rd line. Like it won’t compare with the Karlsson/Smith duo for the Knights last spring. The Colton line is really one dimensional and won’t ever skill people. They are just pure pressure and physicality.

Too bad they don't ever get to play against the Avalanche. That's a sure-fire way to shut them down.

 

[Foppa2118]

Any cap savy posters know what Byram's arb rights are after this contract?

He's arbitration eligible next go around. Avs usually find a way to avoid that though.

 

[Ararana]

He's arbitration eligible next go around. Avs usually find a way to avoid that though.

Tyson Barrie is still offended.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Tyson Barrie is still offended.

Contract talks would have gone a lot smoother with T-Boobs if the Avs provided ice-cream at the meetings.

 

[AslanRH]

Any cap savy posters know what Byram's arb rights are after this contract?

Bowen Byram is arbitration eligible
It won't get to that though, I'm 99% confident in that.
If it gets to that point Avs will move him

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I agree overall. The third line is really a bunch of chaos machines 4th liners who can skate at a 3rd line level. Colton is probably a legit 3rd liner, but the other two are just simple hard nosed hockey. Which is great to get energy, get momentum, and pressure teams… there is just zero creativity or differing ways to create offense. It is like a 4th line you can play for 13-14 minutes, but not a great 3rd line. Like it won’t compare with the Karlsson/Smith duo for the Knights last spring. The Colton line is really one dimensional and won’t ever skill people. They are just pure pressure and physicality.

This is a scenario where the Avs complete inability to draft viable NHLers is killing them. Even if the Avs were just league average at drafting the chaos machines would work so well. You have some rookies filling in for cheap talent in the middle-6 and suddenly the expense of having those guys is much more palatable.

Unfortunately, the Avs like drafting the Tyson Jost's and Alex Newhook's who are kinda just bland.

 

[Ararana]

Contract talks would have gone a lot smoother with T-Boobs if the Avs provided ice-cream at the meetings.

Hobbits are so easy to manipulate...

 

[Muffin]

Absolutely none of that is true.
View attachment 800344

And before you say anything about Jost being in Buffalo, here's Josty's stat card from his final season in Colorado. Even splitting time between COL and a better defensive team in MIN his numbers were shit.

View attachment 800345

Olofsson has never been an offensive dynamo but to say Jost has "a lot more" offensive ability is not even debatable. It's patently false. The only time Jost had impactul numbers offensively was playing 3rd line center when the Avs had a very favorable post-bubble schedule and he was centering a pair of wingers on ridiculous hot streaks in Nichushkin and Donskoi. Once the postseason started he disappeared. Beyond that he's had decent, but not great defensive numbers and his offense has been largely nonexistent.

No one's "blind" here, bro. We watched the same player you did.

I might be reading this wrong but isn't negative xGA good?

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

With all the debates and discussions, I would like to once again loudly proclaim that I just want Tage Thompson. I'm going to force it to become a reality through pure will and gibberish on a message board.