Rumor: 2024-2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency - Offseason Edition

[henchman21]

If Kotkaniemi was good enough to play 3C Carolina wouldn't buy him out.

I wouldn't say that... Staal is their 3C for as long as he wants to continue playing. The roster spot is completely locked up for him specifically. Which means Kotka is 2C or 4C with how they are built. Kotka clearly has had issues at 2C, which makes him a ~4.8m 4C there and they can't function like that.

On many other teams, Kotka would get a run as a 3C. He may or may not succeed there, but he'd get the run. Carolina is a team where there is zero chance of him getting that role.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Kotka would also enable the Avs to shift Colton to wing where he is probably better suited anyway.

Kotka at like $2M on a 1-2 year deal would be quite interesting. You could potentially run:


Colton - Kotka - LOC
Wood - ???? - Kovalenko


As your bottom 6. I  still wish we would have traded for Nic Dowd at the deadlineast year. At 50% salary you get a real quality 4C for $650k this year. Even his full salary is manageable at $1.3M.

 

[chet1926]

Kotka would also enable the Avs to shift Colton to wing where he is probably better suited anyway.

Kotka at like $2M on a 1-2 year deal would be quite interesting. You could potentially run:


Colton - Kotka - LOC
Wood - ???? - Kovalenko


As your bottom 6. I  still wish we would have traded for Nic Dowd at the deadlineast year. At 50% salary you get a real quality 4C for $650k this year. Even his full salary is manageable at $1.3M.

Even though Kotka sucks, he'll easily get 3M, due to his age, and the hope for potential, so no thanks we can't afford it. Even at 2M we can barely afford it.

The Avs are going to have to fill a lot of gaps with league minimum type guys and rookies.

 

[chet1926]

If Kotkaniemi was good enough to play 3C Carolina wouldn't buy him out.

Exactly he sucks. So unless he's willing to play for league minimum and play 4th line, I don't want him on this team.

 

[henchman21]

The Avs are going to have to fill a lot of gaps with league minimum type guys and rookies.

As the Avs sit today (assuming no salary out with Nuke/Landy/other moves):

Landy (7.0) - MacK (12.6) - Rants (9.25)
Lehky (4.5) - Mitts (xx) - Nuke (6.125)
Wood (2.5) - Colton (4.0) - LOC (1.05)
Kovalenko (.896)- ___-____
___

Toews (7.25) - Makar (9.0)
Girard (5) -Manson (4.5)
___-___
___

George (3.4)
Annunen (.834)

That's ~78m prior to re-signing Mitts and 6 spaces open. If the Avs simply average 800k for the open spaces (unlikely to be that low), that's 4.8m. Pushing to 82.8m. Leaving less than 5 to sign Mitts. Now Nuke's situation will open about 800k-1m in space. So that pushes up Mitts.

If nothing changes, all the gaps will be filled by minimum guys. Now if the Avs clear out ~4m in space (either Nuke + penalty or other 4+m guy out), you add a roster space to add, but cap probably spend a bit more on average. Maybe up to a million. You also have to replace that player. Maybe you swap Nuke for Drouin and end around the same total cap hit (or saving a half million).

What this will be is a bit more extreme of an example of the last couple years. Where the Avs have a bunch of scrub and old players looking for a Cup to fill out the roster. At the deadline they'll make moves to attempt to shore up the bottom 6 and bottom pairing.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

As the Avs sit today (assuming no salary out with Nuke/Landy/other moves):

Landy (7.0) - MacK (12.6) - Rants (9.25)
Lehky (4.5) - Mitts (xx) - Nuke (6.125)
Wood (2.5) - Colton (4.0) - LOC (1.05)
Kovalenko (.896)- ___-____
___

Toews (7.25) - Makar (9.0)
Girard (5) -Manson (4.5)
___-___
___

George (3.4)
Annunen (.834)

That's ~78m prior to re-signing Mitts and 6 spaces open. If the Avs simply average 800k for the open spaces (unlikely to be that low), that's 4.8m. Pushing to 82.8m. Leaving less than 5 to sign Mitts. Now Nuke's situation will open about 800k-1m in space. So that pushes up Mitts.

If nothing changes, all the gaps will be filled by minimum guys. Now if the Avs clear out ~4m in space (either Nuke + penalty or other 4+m guy out), you add a roster space to add, but cap probably spend a bit more on average. Maybe up to a million. You also have to replace that player. Maybe you swap Nuke for Drouin and end around the same total cap hit (or saving a half million).

What this will be is a bit more extreme of an example of the last couple years. Where the Avs have a bunch of scrub and old players looking for a Cup to fill out the roster. At the deadline they'll make moves to attempt to shore up the bottom 6 and bottom pairing.

Yeah, I think the important thing to ultimately recognize here though, is they have all of the main roster spots locked in.

Top 9 Forwards(Using your outline with Nuke included at least), Top 4D, Starting goalie. They're all signed.


The 6 remaining spots to fill are two 4th line guys, a bottom D pairing, and two extra forwards. I'd argue they realistically shouldn't be spending more than league minimum on pretty much all those spots anyway, outside of maybe having a #5D that could be more relied upon to play Top 4 minutes in case of injury compared to a Jack Johnson type for league minimum(This is where it would be great if Behrens could really thrive in his first year tbh).



It does feel like at this point they need to get clarity on the Nuke situation before July 1 if they actually want to re-sign Drouin. There's absolutely no money to bring him back if they don't know the plan with Nuke. But I think they do know the plan(Termination) they just aren't tipping there cap to that plan just yet.

 

[Balthazar]

Getting rid of Nuke is the only way to get Drouin back.

Edit: I guess trading Colton for nothing (if possible), giving 4M AAV to Drouin and playing Ritchie at 3C would work on paper.

 

[RockLobster]

Getting rid of Nuke is the only way to get Drouin back.

Edit: I guess trading Colton for nothing (if possible), giving 4M AAV to Drouin and playing Ritchie at 3C would work on paper.

Except Ritchie does not play the style of game that Bednar wants out of his bottom 6 players...so if that's the route people want to go down, you're asking a player to play a style they don't play, that's not conducive to their development, and will ultimately result in the player failing at the NHL level.

 

[Alienblood]

Are you willing to give up a 1st and Ritchie?

For Saros yes

 

[AllAboutAvs]

For Saros yes

I wouldn't.

 

[Balthazar]

Except Ritchie does not play the style of game that Bednar wants out of his bottom 6 players...so if that's the route people want to go down, you're asking a player to play a style they don't play, that's not conducive to their development, and will ultimately result in the player failing at the NHL level.

That's why I said on paper.

It's a shame to keep Colton and lose Drouin. Such a huge gap in talent (and ceiling) between those 2.

For Saros yes

He's only signed for one more year and we can't afford to re-up him.

Heck we can't even afford the raise from Georgiev's 3.4M to Saros' 5M.

 

[henchman21]

Yeah, I think the important thing to ultimately recognize here though, is they have all of the main roster spots locked in.

Top 9 Forwards(Using your outline with Nuke included at least), Top 4D, Starting goalie. They're all signed.


The 6 remaining spots to fill are two 4th line guys, a bottom D pairing, and two extra forwards. I'd argue they realistically shouldn't be spending more than league minimum on pretty much all those spots anyway, outside of maybe having a #5D that could be more relied upon to play Top 4 minutes in case of injury compared to a Jack Johnson type for league minimum(This is where it would be great if Behrens could really thrive in his first year tbh).



It does feel like at this point they need to get clarity on the Nuke situation before July 1 if they actually want to re-sign Drouin. There's absolutely no money to bring him back if they don't know the plan with Nuke. But I think they do know the plan(Termination) they just aren't tipping there cap to that plan just yet.

Yeah... I don't know if that is a good or bad thing in this. Good in the fact that the only turbulence in the top 9/4 is basically down to Nuke/Drouin and it'll likely be one of the two (and Landy). Bad in the fact that is group wasn't able to get it done with better depth than they'll be able to afford.

IMO you want a good 4th line, you're either developing guys or paying ~1.5m for them. A good #5D should be a 2.5m spot. So I wouldn't agree that that's what they should be only paying minimum as the guys they get there are likely to be worse than average around the league. It is the reality of the situation... and likely why they'll be making 2-4 depth moves at the deadline next year.

 

[Alienblood]

That's why I said on paper.

It's a shame to keep Colton and lose Drouin. Such a huge gap in talent (and ceiling) between those 2.


He's only signed for one more year and we can't afford to re-up him.

Heck we can't even afford the raise from Georgiev's 3.4M to Saros' 5M.

I know it would have to be at 50% and whatnot but an upgrade from.George to him for a year would be sweet. Could be out last hurrah

 

[The Pwnerer]

We need someone to replace Nukes locker room disturbance qualities. Bring Dutchy home.

 

[hockeyfish]

I'm actually a bit surprised they haven't re-signed JMFJ yet.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I'm actually a bit surprised they haven't re-signed JMFJ yet.

He should come back as the 7D at best. There should be no urgency to bring him really.

 

[Forceberg]

Getting rid of Nuke is the only way to get Drouin back.

Edit: I guess trading Colton for nothing (if possible), giving 4M AAV to Drouin and playing Ritchie at 3C would work on paper.

LTIR Landy would be the other.

 

[Ararana]

LTIR Landy would be the other.

0% chance they do that before UFA day this summer.

If they want to keep Drouin, it's going to have to be outside of the Landy decision. The only two options I can see are Nuke or Rantanen. I don't think Colton realistically clears enough cap.

 

[Hasbro]

Nic Dowd dammit!

 

[MacKaRant]

Nic Dowd dammit!

Only 6'1" though?

 

[Balthazar]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797663600687071556

He said the front runners are Canucks, Flames and Blue Jackets.

 

[AvsFan2123]

Nic Dowd dammit!

At 50% retention would be less than league minimum. With 1 year left, I don’t think he should be THAT expensive. Especially if we dump Manson and get a pick or two back. Can use them in a potential Dowd trade. MacKinnon, Mittelstadt, Colton, Dowd? Sign me tf up.

 

[Hasbro]

At 50% retention would be less than league minimum. With 1 year left, I don’t think he should be THAT expensive. Especially if we dump Manson and get a pick or two back. Can use them in a potential Dowd trade. MacKinnon, Mittelstadt, Colton, Dowd? Sign me tf up.

He wasn't a member of their Cup team either, so the Caps may be willing to do him a favor.

 

[cinchronicity]

My list of priorities:

1) Get Mitts signed long-term
1a) Find a manner to get rid of Nuke without a significant cap penalty
2) Identify a wing to replace the traded Mikko / Move Mikko
3) Get Drouin signed - preferably long-term but perhaps a bridge.
4) Get the roaring 20's line back together, and save room for an LOC raise after the season
5) Fill the 4th line with legit players. not league minimum plugs. Ultimately, the 2022 Cup may have won because Cogs and Helm fit the need perfectly ( with LOC as a key part again.)

I think the most important thing is to throw away old stale conventions about hockey. Bednar's 'system' demands it, though I don't think even he understands that. The entire bottom 6 need not be bangers. Can't the roaring 20s turn into a 4th line that plays 15+ minutes? Then make a 3rd line which looks a lot like a second line - Landy / Ritchie / Veteran looks interesting. Perhaps move LOC up and put Kovalenko in his place ( though I am unsure he brings the same defense) Then pay the first line 18 minutes of 5 v 5. plus PP. Target lines 2 - 4 for about 15 minutes each. I'd consider playing the Roaring 20s against the opponent's top line, especially with the home ice last change. Then let Mac and Mitts feast on lesser lines.

Of course, none of this works with Mikko coming back, and it sure as hell doesn't work with Mikko's next contract. Landy and Nuke are nasty unknowns, but if Landy ends up on LTIR, and CMac can jettison Nuke without cap implications, I would still move Mikko if humanly possible. I do not see any way to get Drouin resigned, get a decent 4th line ( let alone 3rd pair) and replace Nuke without moving Mikko.

What about Mikko to Carolina for Jarvis+ (Or a sign and trade 8 year Mikko for Jarvis ++) ( Or Mikko for Necas?) Boy do I wish it was possible to move Mikko and Nuke for Jarvis and Necas. We would lose the trade, statistically. But it would allow us to improve depth significantly. A boy can dream, can't he?

Drouin / Mac / ( maybe a short term Vet like Marchessault?)
Lehky / Mitts / Jarvis
Landy / Ritchie / LOC
Woods / Colton / Kovalenko

 

[the_fan]

If Avs gonna trade for Necas to replace Mikko, they better hurry up because the word is, he might be traded in the next 5 days.

Have we heard where will Mikko be traded to?