I really don't think they have to prove much. I don't think management or Bednar is happy with Manson's health. They're going to spend some picks or prospects to move him this off season.
Moving Manson alone would probably cost a 1st at this point given his regression, injuries, and caphit.
Olausson has very little value.
So value-wise it's basically Byram for Sillinger, Jenner, Peeke, and Boqvist.
I disagree. You have to remember that this is a league that always has some GM with his head up his ass willing to pay or acquire players that think they'll be a difference maker. Didn't the Blue Jackets give up a 4X4 contract to a guy like Erik Gudbranson ? This is after he bounced around a bunch of teams and pretty much proved he was a depth guy - they were still willing to pay up to sign him as a UFA.
I'm quite certain that if Manson becomes available at some point that Kenny Holland and the Edmonton Loilers will look at him as the missing piece to what they are trying to do overthere, hopefully by trading for a 2X Stanley Cup Champion at that point.
to be fair to JTC, the one and only time both he and the Avs were on the same page was the 2022 postseason. There, he was playing as the 3C they always envisioned him as AND had the proper depth above him to allow him to play that role. But right after that Kadri left and he was forced to be the de facto 2C (I’ll never understand how management thought Newhook was the answer, clearly the coaches knew better).
Anyway, what’s done is done. I don’t blame the Avs for not paying him but I also don’t blame him one bit for getting paid. Hopefully it works out for him, he’s a good player despite some rather frustrating tendencies.
But we've kind of gone through this though. It wasn't that they thought Newhook was the answer - they
HOPED he was the answer and it didn't work. They figured they could address it at the TDL - after all, it worked out 1 year prior but when the TDL rolled around, other teams were all too prepared to make them pay
TBL prices for whoever the Avs wanted and with Landeskog's uncertainty + the general health of the team overall, Avs management decided they wouldn't pay those outrageous prices.
Look at the return they got when they decided to address it after the season -> a 1st round pick + Colton in exchange for Newhook was an insane trade and I don't care how many points Newhook puts up for the Habs. Colton is the guy that was needed in that #3C slot and that trade wasn't available at the TDL for sure as Tampa was gearing up for the playoffs themselves.
I know people want the Avs to win every single year but that's going to be pretty tough to do. We have another good shot at it this season and with a much better team with fewer holes this go around.
