Rumor: 2024-2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency Talk | Part Deux

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Fat Frank reported 3 different teams on Wednesday night… Boston, Calgary, and Minnesota.

Let’s get half the league making offers on him.

If we are lucky teams will blindly start bidding against themselves and drive up his price

 

[dahrougem2]

Ducks have won 6 of 7 and are finally not looking like a basement dweller even if the playoffs are a long shot for them. 9 points back with a game in hand, you won't find me holding my breath for it to happen BUT when you look at their roster, it does always look underperforming especially given how good their goaltending is.

All that to say I wouldn't mind a Mitts/McTavish swap but I doubt they would.

 

[Vaslof]

Between Friedman and Seravalli, I think Friedman is more reliable source, but yeah, you never know which reports are true

Both could be true, they just have different sources.

I think it makes sense that there's interest in Mittelstadt despite how badly he has played the last few months. If Mittelstadt wasn't already here even we'd be interested in him, which is obv how we got him in the first place.

 

[myperbixhurts]

Maybe CMac can get a 1st round pick for Mitts from one of those teams then flip that pick for a 2C

 

[Balthazar]

The bad news with all these teams interested in Mitts is a shitload of teams are looking for centers and there's almost none available.

I honestly don't know who's going to replace him.

 

[Richard88]

Did the Avs trading Rantanen give other teams license to follow suit? Looking at similar scenarios around the league, you have Florida and Sam Bennett. It may seem unlikely Florida does this since they’re win now - but so we’re the Avs when trading Rantanen.

Would it be possible to pry Bennett out of Florida with the expectations of signing him? This is one player that I’d be willing to trade Mittelstadt and Ritchie for.

Not sure Bennett would be a stylistic fit with Bednar.

 

[Richard88]

Re-sign Nelson.
Trade Dobson for Pettersson.
Trade Barzal to Colorado.

It's all starting to come together

 

[Richard88]

If we are lucky teams will blindly start bidding against themselves and drive up his price

The weak top 6 center market might actually encourage a better-than-expected return on Mittelstadt.

 

[AnimalMother73]

The weak top 6 center market might actually encourage a better-than-expected return on Mittelstadt.

Sure then what do the Avs do to replace him? The fact that several teams are interested w his shitty performance just affirms the dearth of centers available atm.

 

[Richard88]

If the Avs want a prospect from CBJ as part of a bigger deal I could see Charlie Elick being the guy they target.

Manson isn't getting younger and is 1 year away from UFA, so they're going to need to find a replacement for that role soon, but have next to nothing in the pipeline at RHD.

Beyond just being a RHD, Elick is a very good skater which is obviously something that would appeal to Colorado.

Physical, proactive defence is Elick’s game. He’s an explosive backward and lateral skater, which he uses to instantly take the middle, then teleport across the ice and prevent the entry. His stick is seemingly in every lane, tipping every pass or shot inside his wing span. His mobility allows him to stay tight to the off-puck threat, but then easily win the race to a retrieval at the end boards. -EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide

 

[Foppa2118]

Doesn’t paint Miller in the greatest light

If this is true, and I get the sense this is a one sided biased representation that left out why Miller was upset with EP, the appropriate response from EP should have been, "f*** you, you're a f***ing asshole."

Then go out and score a hat trick and call out Miller for being lazy. Give him some of his own medicine and tell him to sack up and quit being a bitch and help the team. EP would have done his part and backed up his comments with his play.

Then if Miller does his part, you buy him a beer, tell him you still think he's an asshole, Miller says he still thinks he's a (whatever shitty thing he wants to call him) you laugh, cheers, then walk away from each other, and go win more hockey games, and your team comes together afterwards because of it.

You don't have to be best friends on a team, you just have to both pull in the same direction.

Pouting about it, letting your production slip to a 57 point pace after the team gave you a $92M contract that pays you $11.6M a year, splitting the dressing room, and getting the team to trade an important player on your team for a mediocre return that made your team worse, was not the right approach.

Looks like EP only has 2 assists in 5 games after trading Miller too. Onus is on him now to pick it up with Miller gone.

 

[illegitimate]

makes me glad my team's only problems are a junkie and a cripple

 

[Foppa2118]

Ducks have won 6 of 7 and are finally not looking like a basement dweller even if the playoffs are a long shot for them. 9 points back with a game in hand, you won't find me holding my breath for it to happen BUT when you look at their roster, it does always look underperforming especially given how good their goaltending is.

All that to say I wouldn't mind a Mitts/McTavish swap but I doubt they would.

Is McTavish's skating good enough to be an upgrade on Mitts for a Bednar team? Honestly asking, because I haven't watched him enough.

Norris from Ottawa is somewhat interesting, but staying healthy on a non Avalanche team has been trouble enough for him. He'll probably spontaneously combust after stepping off the plane in Denver.

Zegras is coming off knee surgery, doesn't have a good two way game, and is a bit of a prima donna. Might not work well with Bednar.

Barzal will miss the next six weeks after an operation on his knee cap, and I'm not sure how the Avs fit Necas, and Barzal's $9.15M.

Nelson is a UFA rental that won't be cheap to acquire, I'm not sure whether he's a center or not, and I'm not sure he's a great fit on Bednar's team either.

I don't know what NJ would offer for Mitts, but I'm not seeing a good center they'd trade the Avs. Ditto with Toronto.

Sid has unfortunately made it very clear he wants to be a Penguin for life.

Zacha from the Bruins makes some sense, though it's a bit undewhelming. He's a similar 50-60 point kind of two way C as Mitts, but maybe he skates better, scores more goals, and wins more physical battles, so he's a better fit on Bednar's Avs? Maybe he works well with his fellow Czech Necas? Necas played for Zacha's home town team Brno, but they're couple years apart in age, and I don't think they ever played together, even in tournaments. He's $1M cheaper than Mitts too (helps with Jones?) for two more years. He makes more sense to me than those other guys, but I'd like to hear more options.

I agree with @Balthazar the market is kind of working against us here in terms of options. That's why Kadri is still an option, because they at least know he's a good fit on the team, and in the room, and can score goals, and produce the offense they desperately need outside the top line.

Historically though, this kind of situation is where CMac and Sakic pull a rabbit out of the hat and make a trade for someone good we weren't expecting. That would be nice if they can do that again.

 

[Ncit3]

If this is true, and I get the sense this is a one sided biased representation that left out why Miller was upset with EP, the appropriate response from EP should have been, "f*** you, you're a f***ing asshole."

Then go out and score a hat trick and call out Miller for being lazy. Give him some of his own medicine and tell him to sack up and quit being a bitch and help the team. EP would have done his part and backed up his comments with his play.

Then if Miller does his part, you buy him a beer, tell him you still think he's an asshole, Miller says he still thinks he's a (whatever shitty thing he wants to call him) you laugh, cheers, then walk away from each other, and go win more hockey games, and your team comes together afterwards because of it.

You don't have to be best friends on a team, you just have to both pull in the same direction.

Pouting about it, letting your production slip to a 57 point pace after the team gave you a $92M contract that pays you $11.6M a year, splitting the dressing room, and getting the team to trade an important player on your team for a mediocre return that made your team worse, was not the right approach.

Looks like EP only has 2 assists in 5 games after trading Miller too. Onus is on him now to pick it up with Miller gone.

This is the boomeriest boomer victim blamiest shit I’ve seen all week.

Yeah bro just let it roll off your back. Show your abusive homophobic coworker that you can have a beer together after work.

I’m sorry, what?

 

[MacKaRtin]

If the Avs want a prospect from CBJ as part of a bigger deal I could see Charlie Elick being the guy they target.

Manson isn't getting younger and is 1 year away from UFA, so they're going to need to find a replacement for that role soon, but have next to nothing in the pipeline at RHD.

Beyond just being a RHD, Elick is a very good skater which is obviously something that would appeal to Colorado.

According to Wheeler, Elick has had a rough year and is currently the 11th-ranked prospect in CBJ's prospect pool: Columbus Blue Jackets are No. 6 in 2025 NHL prospect pool rankings

Excerpt: "The bad: There are times when [Elick's] decisions can catch him out of position, his reads and processing on and off the puck need work, he lacks soft skill and his intuition/IQ with the puck have not developed. You hope that he can get the bad to a passable enough level that you can turn him into a staunch depth defender with length, skating and athleticism but you would have also hoped to see more progress there this year."

 

[LOFIN]

This is the boomeriest boomer victim blamiest shit I’ve seen all week.

Yeah bro just let it roll off your back. Show your abusive homophobic coworker that you can have a beer together after work.

I’m sorry, what?

I'm not going to defend Miller here, but EP40 had been playing like shit before that supposed incident, and he has not looked great even now when they traded Miller away. So that's not an excuse anymore.

 

[Miri]

Did CMac fix all our problems yet?

He is lining up bunch of CBJ rejects as we speak

 

[Ceremony]

Extremely large no on Provorov, thanks.

 

[The Pwnerer]

If the Edmonton game is any indication, losing Mittlestadt is addition by subtraction at this point. That TOI doesn't lie. Take the best futures package and roll with what we have until the deadline. We would have decent ammo for big game hunting at the deadline or worst case. Get a stop gap (Nelson, Gourde) and save the assets to try and find a long term solution in offseason.

I too was optimistic that he would turn it around. But that page is over, the guy just doesn't fit with our team mold at all.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

The bad news with all these teams interested in Mitts is a shitload of teams are looking for centers and there's almost none available.

I honestly don't know who's going to replace him.

Exactly.. we are in a bad situation

 

[Rumplesnipeskin]

Just turned on the Ducks/Kings game.

0-0 in the 3rd.

Dumoulin walks in and rips one top shelf for his first goal of the season.

1-0 Ducks.

It’s a sign. Get it done, CMac.

82 goal pace… if we only look at the last game. Step aside Cale.

Would love Maine boy Dumo on the team.

 

[DrunkTurtle]

Just get the #2C right the next time. It's been one bad decision after another.

First Kadri was allowed to walk with no replacement. JTC or Newhook lol.

Then the laughable RyJo experiment.

The latest experiment is Mitts who just doesn't fit the team.

 

[EdAVSfan]

Just get the #2C right the next time. It's been one bad decision after another.

First Kadri was allowed to walk with no replacement. JTC or Newhook lol.

Then the laughable RyJo experiment.

The latest experiment is Mitts who just doesn't fit the team.

I think a lot of us have to come to the understanding that the « right 2C » is probably not available.
Already finding a regular 2C is difficult. Now we have the extra caveat that it has to be a guy that fits perfectly with Bednar for it to work.

Go around the teams and list the guys who actually would appear to be the « right 2C ». Are those guys even available? If they are, do we have what the other team wants in a return?

So what are you left with? If you can’t get the 3 or 4 guys who are perfect fits, now what do you do? Nothing? Or pick from the rest that may not fit?

 

[Alienblood]

So I listened to a Kent Hughes (Habs GM) interview in French today and at one point he goes out of his way to say that Chris MacFarland told him that if the Avs haven't traded the #37 pick in 2023 for Ross Colton, they would have drafted Jacob Fowler with it (and the Habs wouldn't have him, which is why he mentioned that).

Fowler is currently a top goalie prospect for those who don't know.

I thought that was interesting.

should have taken him instead of Goulash

Ducks have won 6 of 7 and are finally not looking like a basement dweller even if the playoffs are a long shot for them. 9 points back with a game in hand, you won't find me holding my breath for it to happen BUT when you look at their roster, it does always look underperforming especially given how good their goaltending is.

All that to say I wouldn't mind a Mitts/McTavish swap but I doubt they would.

Cronin doing a good job

 

[DrunkTurtle]

I think a lot of us have to come to the understanding that the « right 2C » is probably not available.
Already finding a regular 2C is difficult. Now we have the extra caveat that it has to be a guy that fits perfectly with Bednar for it to work.

Go around the teams and list the guys who actually would appear to be the « right 2C ». Are those guys even available? If they are, do we have what the other team wants in a return?

So what are you left with? If you can’t get the 3 or 4 guys who are perfect fits, now what do you do? Nothing? Or pick from the rest that may not fit?

Most likely there is nobody available this season. However, it's been three years.

They also traded Byram and a 1st to offload RyJo in this quest and still don't have a #2C. Just a terrible look for CMac. It should not be this difficult.

I would try Necas as the #2C, it's the best option there is and it doesn't cost a damn thing. Maybe it works or maybe it won't, just try it.