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

[Freaky Styley]

One would assume by now that Sakic/MacFarland have had enough discussions with their lawers, the league, the PA, and Nuke's agents to know what it will cost to terminate the contract. If not, they really aren't doing their jobs. It's possible a trade somehow comes up before then, but unlikely. It's also possible that an ordinary buyout could be more attractive. And it's possible that no trade comes up, and a buyout or termination don't look attractive, and they default to bringing Nuke back. I think that last option is extremely unlikely.

But yeah, I'd be shocked if the Avs front office doesn't have a very good idea where that situation will lead.

100%. This doom and gloom around the Nuke situation is uncalled for. It sucks that it's even a discussion, but they will find a way around it considering all of the other cap gymnastics we've seen in the NHL

 

[hockeyfish]

100%. This doom and gloom around the Nuke situation is uncalled for. It sucks that it's even a discussion, but they will find a way around it considering all of the other cap gymnastics we've seen in the NHL

We live in a world of instant gratification. Everyone wants to know what the plan is right now. Just got to be paitent and let it be revealed in time.

 

[hockeyfish]

The Avs have a knack for targeting pending RFA's who they feel are due for bigger roles than they've been given. Two names I think should be remembered if enough cap space is freed up are Morgan Frost and Nicolas Hague.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Hypothetical scenario....

Kotkaniemi for Nichushkin. Would either team do it 1 for 1? If not who adds?

Canes might be buying out Kotkaniemi, Avs obviously want to get rid of Nichushkin. Nuke is clearly the better player but significant off ice issues(Also something the Canes generally dont give a shit about).

It would free up $1.3M in cap space which the Avs would obviously need more of. But if they get Kotka they could then move Colton for a haul of picks and then I believe would have some cap space to make everything else fall into place.

 

[missionAvs]

Hypothetical scenario....

Kotkaniemi for Nichushkin. Would either team do it 1 for 1? If not who adds?

Canes might be buying out Kotkaniemi, Avs obviously want to get rid of Nichushkin. Nuke is clearly the better player but significant off ice issues(Also something the Canes generally dont give a shit about).

It would free up $1.3M in cap space which the Avs would obviously need more of. But if they get Kotka they could then move Colton for a haul of picks and then I believe would have some cap space to make everything else fall into place.

Make it happen Pierce. Kotka sucks but Nuke can f*** off. I like it.

 

[Balthazar]

Kotkaniemi's contract is Darnell Nurse level bad. Nearly 5M AAV for 6 more years for someone who frequently gets benched because he sucks. Without that contract his ass would be playing in the AHL.

Pass, pass, pass, pass.

PS: It's incredible how much money that guy made just because of an offer sheet. The Canes gave him 44M and if that offer sheet didn't happen chances are he'd not have made 10% of that in his whole career.

 

[PAZ]

Hypothetical scenario....

Kotkaniemi for Nichushkin. Would either team do it 1 for 1? If not who adds?

Canes might be buying out Kotkaniemi, Avs obviously want to get rid of Nichushkin. Nuke is clearly the better player but significant off ice issues(Also something the Canes generally dont give a shit about).

It would free up $1.3M in cap space which the Avs would obviously need more of. But if they get Kotka they could then move Colton for a haul of picks and then I believe would have some cap space to make everything else fall into place.

I'd pass. I wanted to like Kotkaniemi, but he's just not good.

Rather gamble on Nuke getting his contract terminated or staying clean than gambling on Kotka as a 3rd line center.

 

[hockeyfish]

I really don't know how RossCo put up a career high in points yet somehow attracted so much hate.

 

[Freaky Styley]

I really don't know how RossCo put up a career high in points yet somehow attracted so much hate.

He's just not super effective at C IMO. If we put him on wing, let him crash and bang and snipe short side, we all like Ross a lot more. Avs tried to do the same thing with Trenin, another guy better on the wing. Problem is we already have Wood signed forever at that position who does the same thing but is less effective, and with our cap it's hard to justify Colton's contract as a winger

 

[Balthazar]

I really don't know how RossCo put up a career high in points yet somehow attracted so much hate.

He's not good defensively, can't be relied on to win a faceoff and his offensive production comes in spurts. On the plus side he's physical and likes to play the Bednar North-South game.

Honestly though I was hoping he'd be more of a difference maker in the playoffs.

He's OK but at 4M AAV he's no bargain contract and the Avs have no money.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I really don't know how RossCo put up a career high in points yet somehow attracted so much hate.

I'd you're referring to me I certainly don't hate him. The one and only scenario he gets moved is if they bring in another 3C, which feels incredibly unlikely... But we're also dealing with an ugly situation IE Nichushkin that may require making an unexpected move.


Kotka is the type of situation where we might be able to unload Nuke without having to pay to move Nuke... And the especially nice thing about Kotka is his buyout would be extremely cheap as well if he were to struggle with us.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

<snip>
Nuke doesn’t have to be activated from PAP to be traded. Rumors are around the Avs exploring the traded market.

Secondly on the Cap, you only have to be compliant in the afternoon of each day. Thats when the cap counts hit. Entirely possible he’s activated at say 7am and then dealt with by noon (take your pick on which way)… that would leave the Avs cap compliant still. It would be a very narrow threading of the needle. Technically possible.

Thanks Henchy! I really thought they had to have him fully under the cap and active before they could trade him. I legit had no clue that he could be traded while still in the PAP.

I guess my next concern regarding Nuke would be his NMC and how he treats the Avs desires to relocate his ass to another State.

 

[hockeyfish]

He's not good defensively, can't be relied on to win a faceoff and his offensive production comes in spurts. On the plus side he's physical and likes to play the Bednar North-South game.

Honestly though I was hoping he'd be more of a difference maker in the playoffs.

He's OK but at 4M AAV he's no bargain contract and the Avs have no money.

I wouldn't say he was good or bad defensivly, just passable. But he had great possession metrics and was by far our best faceoff guy.

 

[hockeyfish]

Thanks Henchy! I really thought they had to have him fully under the cap and active before they could trade him. I legit had no clue that he could be traded while still in the PAP.

I guess my next concern regarding Nuke would be his NMC and how he treats the Avs desires to relocate his ass to another State.

The NMC certainly complicates any effort to trade him. Doesn't have much impact on other options.

 

[ABasin]

A top 6 of MacK/Rants/Drouin/Mitts/Landy/Lehky should be more than good enough to contribute offense in the regular season. If LOC is healthy-ish and can continue the chemistry with Colton/Wood, 3rd line is also fine. Throw some plugs on the 4th line and pickup a couple of grizzlies at the TDL. No concerns up front.

On backend, top 4 of Toews/Makar/G/Manson is also fine for regular season, but a couple of things... huge onus on them to stay healthy, and if they somehow remain healthy, Beds will probably give them huge minutes with a useless 3rd pairing behind them. Concern heading into playoffs with tired legs and will most certainly need another TDL addition for a 4/5 D if not a couple of bodies.

Lots of people plugging Landeskog into the starting lineup to start next season.

I remain very (and respectfully to Landeskog) skeptical.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Lots of people plugging Landeskog into the starting lineup to start next season.

I remain very (and respectfully to Landeskog) skeptical.

I dont think we're plugging him into the starting lineup.

However, he's going to play at some point, that much is obvious. I dont think these lineups are opening rosters necessarily. Just what a healthy group would look like.

 

[ABasin]

I dont think we're plugging him into the starting lineup.

However, he's going to play at some point, that much is obvious. I dont think these lineups are opening rosters necessarily. Just what a healthy group would look like.

Is his cap hit getting plugged into the starting lineup for next season?

If the Avs can't act on his cap hit later in June, it may as well be.

 

[dahrougem2]

I dislike Colton because he's a poor fit at 3C.

I'd rather a center produce less offensively but be trusted with matchups over Colton needing sheltering/other teams targeting him.

He is not good defensively, Bednar does not trust him to kill penalties, he isn't great at faceoffs.

That's why I don't like him.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Is his cap hit getting plugged into the starting lineup for next season?

If the Avs can't act on his cap hit later in June, it may as well be.

Yes?

 

[The Abusement Park]

I dislike Colton because he's a poor fit at 3C.

I'd rather a center produce less offensively but be trusted with matchups over Colton needing sheltering/other teams targeting him.

He is not good defensively, Bednar does not trust him to kill penalties, he isn't great at faceoffs.

That's why I don't like him.

Statistically he was pretty decent defensively this year. Especially considering he was massively overplayed due to the whole RyJo debacle. Also Jost to an extent, was that for us at C(not the faceoffs though) and he also caused an issue for us at C so…

 

[Mac Attack]

Hypothetical scenario....

Kotkaniemi for Nichushkin. Would either team do it 1 for 1? If not who adds?

Canes might be buying out Kotkaniemi, Avs obviously want to get rid of Nichushkin. Nuke is clearly the better player but significant off ice issues(Also something the Canes generally dont give a shit about).

It would free up $1.3M in cap space which the Avs would obviously need more of. But if they get Kotka they could then move Colton for a haul of picks and then I believe would have some cap space to make everything else fall into place.

Why??? Kotka is trash and is big buyout candidate.

 

[Balthazar]

Why??? Kotka is trash and is big buyout candidate.

There's no upside there either. He played 400 games in the NHL over 6 seasons, he's not getting better than this. Unlike a guy like Laine, there's nothing to "fix" with Kotkaniemi, he is who he is.

It's like if Tyson Jost got offer sheeted and signed a huge 8 years contract.

 

[Pokecheque]

I wouldn't say he was good or bad defensivly, just passable. But he had great possession metrics and was by far our best faceoff guy.

He’s definitely bad in the defensive zone. His defensive numbers look much better (as do Wood’s) when his line forechecks effectively.

I think some of the implosion in his game in the latter half of the season was simply fatigue. He had to fill in at 2C for much of the year, and by the time Mittelstadt showed he was worn out. Did not help that LOC was out for the year by that time and using Parise in his stead was an outfit disaster.

Either way, I agree with Henchy, the Avs made a commitment. They gotta try and make it work.

 

[dahrougem2]

Statistically he was pretty decent defensively this year. Especially considering he was massively overplayed due to the whole RyJo debacle. Also Jost to an extent, was that for us at C(not the faceoffs though) and he also caused an issue for us at C so…

Well no I don't think Jost was that for us. Jost was a 4th line winger being asked to play 3C. I actually think Colton would make a fine 2nd line LW. I'm not certain he can play center all that well.

When one guy gets hurt and all of a sudden you look bad, it's telling. He and Wood needing LOC in order to have success makes Colton an over priced luxury.

 

[Vaslof]

There's no upside there either. He played 400 games in the NHL over 6 seasons, he's not getting better than this. Unlike a guy like Laine, there's nothing to "fix" with Kotkaniemi, he is who he is.

It's like if Tyson Jost got offer sheeted and signed a huge 8 years contract.

I was surprised when he was picked so high. He didn't look that special in Liiga. Draftable for sure, but not a top #3 pick.