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

[Vaslof]

Don't forget that this year Mack, Mikko and Makar were healthy all year + all playoffs. That's unlikely to happen again next year.

Makar was playing injured and Mikko might have been too just based on how he looked. I still agree with your point though, we had above average luck on player health in 23-24 season.

As for "overplaying", it's mostly bs. Old players might need the rest, but guys in their prime are not gonna suffer from an extra minute or two. In fact limiting minutes might lead to problems. An exception is goalies who play the whole game, Georgiev needs more help next season.

 

[henchman21]

As for "overplaying", it's mostly bs. Old players might need the rest, but guys in their prime are not gonna suffer from an extra minute or two. In fact limiting minutes might lead to problems. An exception is goalies who play the whole game, Georgiev needs more help next season.

It really isn't... we've seen the legs the top guys have after a season of playing too many minutes.

Also Avs are now old.

 

[Chiarelli]

No one in the West is that good. Get through the regular season and make playoffs - doesn't matter if it's as a WC. Make sure the top guys have gas in the tank for when games matter and fill out the depth at the deadline. Put aside personal numbers/individual trophy aspirations and get one more good kick at the can here.

 

[hockeyfish]

Makar was playing injured and Mikko might have been too just based on how he looked. I still agree with your point though, we had above average luck on player health in 23-24 season.

As for "overplaying", it's mostly bs. Old players might need the rest, but guys in their prime are not gonna suffer from an extra minute or two. In fact limiting minutes might lead to problems. An exception is goalies who play the whole game, Georgiev needs more help next season.

A minute or two doesn't seem like much until you realize that it really adds up over 82 games. One extra minute per game is 82 over a season, or equivelent to playing 4 extra games. Avs do need to find ways of softening that. Rantanen led all forwards league wide in TOI/GP. Mackinnon was 2nd. Kuch was 3rd with a full minute less per game. Granted, part of that was the insane PP time they got, as the Avs practically ran a 1 unit PP. But still, that is a lot of minutes.

 

[chet1926]

Don't forget that this year Mack, Mikko and Makar were healthy all year + all playoffs. That's unlikely to happen again next year.

This is a key. Those 3 played in the vast majority of our games last year. Maybe they do again but maybe not, hockey is a rough sport. Anyone of those three miss a month or two on a fluky injury it gets ugly fast.

 

[henchman21]

No one in the West is that good. Get through the regular season and make playoffs - doesn't matter if it's as a WC. Make sure the top guys have gas in the tank for when games matter and fill out the depth at the deadline. Put aside personal numbers/individual trophy aspirations and get one more good kick at the can here.

To me, both Edmonton and Dallas look a lot better setup for next season. Vancouver is clearly on the upswing with the most aggressive GM in the game. Vegas is similar to the Avs a fading team still trying to hold on. There is probably your top 5 with the Avs somewhere between 3-5 (and without Nuke probably on the low side of that). Seattle and Utah are the non-playoff teams that should probably take a jump.

 

[Balthazar]

I'm already sick of all that Nuke and Landy uncertainty. Going to be a long summer.

 

[dahrougem2]

Makar was playing injured and Mikko might have been too just based on how he looked. I still agree with your point though, we had above average luck on player health in 23-24 season.

As for "overplaying", it's mostly bs. Old players might need the rest, but guys in their prime are not gonna suffer from an extra minute or two. In fact limiting minutes might lead to problems. An exception is goalies who play the whole game, Georgiev needs more help next season.

It's not BS. Go look at what top guys historically play during the regular season. Bednar plays them WAY more.

 

[Balthazar]

It's not BS. Go look at what top guys historically play during the regular season. Bednar plays them WAY more.

Poor Georgiev is in for another 65 starts.

 

[Chiarelli]

To me, both Edmonton and Dallas look a lot better setup for next season. Vancouver is clearly on the upswing with the most aggressive GM in the game. Vegas is similar to the Avs a fading team still trying to hold on. There is probably your top 5 with the Avs somewhere between 3-5 (and without Nuke probably on the low side of that). Seattle and Utah are the non-playoff teams that should probably take a jump.

so play to avoid the WC and you'll get a Winnipeg/St. Louis/Utah team in the 1st round. Winnable series for sure then anything can happen from there.

 

[Ararana]

Poor Georgiev is in for another 65 starts.

It's most likely his last season with the Avs. Ruin him.

 

[Hasbro]

I'm already sick of all that Nuke and Landy uncertainty. Going to be a long summer.

And even if the Avalanche have something to say to alleviate the speculation they won't out of principal.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I doubt they win the cup next season. However, the Avs will still make the playoffs and play an entertaining brand of hockey with some of the top talent of the sport. Many fanbases have it much much worse.

 

[MacKaRant]

Poor Georgiev is in for another 65 starts.

Whenever you have an All-Star goalie, you need to lean into him and play him a lot. This is no different than the Sabres routinely playing Hasek 65-70 games back in the day

 

[Pokecheque]

Whenever you have an All-Star goalie, you need to lean into him and play him a lot. This is no different than the Sabres routinely playing Hasek 65-70 games back in the day

Uh...there's a slight difference between the Dominator and Georgiev.

 

[henchman21]

so play to avoid the WC and you'll get a Winnipeg/St. Louis/Utah team in the 1st round. Winnable series for sure then anything can happen from there.

That's what everyone has said the last two seasons and it really hasn't been close.

 

[Chiarelli]

That's what everyone has said the last two seasons and it really hasn't been close.

That's why I say go get a goalie. Seems to be the only move left in the playbook to meaningfully move the needle.

 

[GoNordiquesGo]

Having Mitts as 2C should make a difference vs last year in how much Bednar plays the top forwards into the ground.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Makar was playing injured and Mikko might have been too just based on how he looked. I still agree with your point though, we had above average luck on player health in 23-24 season.

As for "overplaying", it's mostly bs. Old players might need the rest, but guys in their prime are not gonna suffer from an extra minute or two. In fact limiting minutes might lead to problems. An exception is goalies who play the whole game, Georgiev needs more help next season.

NHL Stats

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Mack and Mikko #1 and #2, both a full minute more than 3rd place Kucherov. The Avs are also the only team to have two guys in the top 10 for ice time, and they have 3 with Nichushkin playing the 7th most.

Also, Mack is old.

Even just two shifts less a night would make a huge difference for those two.


Bednar did a better job with the Defense minutes. Makar was 9th and Toews 28th... But even Makar would benefit greatly from playing a shift or two less next year.

Cale played 2:33 per game shorthanded last year. It would make a massive difference if that 2:33 was 1:15 next year for example.


If the Avs have any sort of cap space to spend, getting a Dman that can take away some of Cales PK time would be where that money should go.

 

[Vaslof]

Rantanen highest TOI/GP, 7th in playoff PTS/GP
MacKinnon 2nd TOI/GP, 8th in playoff PTS/GP
Kucherov 3rd in TOI/GP, 3rd in playoff PTS/GP
Trocheck 5th in TOI/GP, 9th in playoff PTS/GP
McDavid 6th in TOI/GP, 1st in playoff PTS/GP
Nichushkin 7th in TOI/GP, 10th in playoff PTS/GP
Draisaitl 15th in TOI/GP, 4th in playoff PTS/GP

There's the forwards from point per game leaders in the plaoyffs.
Basically what the point is, forwards who played the most in the regular season were also at the top in playoff points.

If playing less would automatically lead to higher performance in the playoffs, teams would be doing it all over.
If you can physically handle the minutes, you will fully recover during breaks between games.
Obviously everyone does have their limit where it will start affecting their play.

 

[the_fan]

We can always tank for whoever the top pick is gonna be in 2025 draft

 

[Pokecheque]

We can always tank for whoever the top pick is gonna be in 2025 draft

Nah.

 

[the_fan]

Nah.

Why not? We are doomed next year.

No Landy
No Val
No Drouin
Mack, Mikko, Makar are gonna play 40 minutes a game. Georgiev will start 70 games.

Half way into season no one is gonna be healthy. Mitts is gonna be our 1C

 

[Avs_19]

I'd love Skinner if he gets bought out and is willing to sign cheap. I won't quit him.

Could be a Drouin replacement too if, again, assuming he's cheap.

 

[AslanRH]

I worry less about the physical toll on MacK and more about the mental exhaustion of knowing you have to carry the offense to keep the team competitive.

This is where a Mitts who can produce from the 2nd line should be a benefit.
Problem is, now that we have a legit 2C, our wingers are a potential mess.