Rumor: 2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency Thread: Post Deadline

Who would you guys choose? Mikko at 12M or Nuke at 6M?
The comparison really should be whoever is here next year out of Necas/Drury/Lindren/Nelson/Coyle vs 12M Mikko,

OR whatever combination of those guys this year equals Mikko’s 9 and change he’s paid now.
 
Nuke has averaged 44 goals per 82 games played over the last two years and is the best defensive winger in the NHL. He’s done that while mostly carrying his own line 5v5 too.

This tweet was made the day Nuke returned.



Since then, the Avs haven’t lost in regulation and their record overall is 8-0-1.

He’s arguably more valuable to the Avs than Rantanen without even factoring contracts. But at half the cost? It’s not even a discussion.

The question with Nuke is obviously the other shit.
 
Nuke has averaged 44 goals per 82 games played over the last two years and is the best defensive winger in the NHL. He’s done that while mostly carrying his own line 5v5 too.

This tweet was made the day Nuke returned.



Since then, the Avs haven’t lost in regulation and their record overall is 8-0-1.

He’s arguably more valuable to the Avs than Rantanen without even factoring contracts. But at half the cost? It’s not even a discussion.

The question with Nuke is obviously the other shit.

That's what I have been thinking too Cousin Eddie. Nuke has been so good and consistent, why not give Rants A to Nuke.

Show by example type.
 
Nuke has averaged 44 goals per 82 games played over the last two years and is the best defensive winger in the NHL. He’s done that while mostly carrying his own line 5v5 too.

This tweet was made the day Nuke returned.



Since then, the Avs haven’t lost in regulation and their record overall is 8-0-1.

He’s arguably more valuable to the Avs than Rantanen without even factoring contracts. But at half the cost? It’s not even a discussion.

The question with Nuke is obviously the other shit.

I would still take Rantanen because he hasn't ruined two playoff runs for us.
 
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It's simple to me. If Landy is healthy next year, and you want to keep Lindgren and Nelson, then you have to deal one of Manson or Girard, and go with a Middleton/Malinski-type bottom 3 paring that makes less than $1M on defense. And then you have to deal Wood and one of Colton or Coyle, and fill out the 4th line with prospects like Prishchepov and/or Ivan. This would leave you with something between $3M and $5M (depending on who you trade away and how much Lindgren and Nelson sign for) to go out and get someone for the 3rd line, or another D-man.

IMO, you trade away the guy that can get you the most in return, and that is Girard. Then you lose Manson after next season, and you have his $4.5M to use on another RD in 2026-27. It's too bad Behrens was injured and missed this entire season, as I'm almost betting that he would be on the Avs next year had he not lost a whole year of experience (He may still be, who knows). Trading Wood might not be easy. You might have to attach another asset to him to get someone to bite, or just buy him out ($708k '25, $1.208M '26-'29, and $708k '30-'33).
 
I would still take Rantanen because he hasn't ruined two playoff runs for us.
Signing Rantanen at $12M AAV would ruin this team’s future in terms of balance (ie.being able to roll 4 effective lines.). Signing Rantanen would put us on the road to becoming TML of the western conference. Nuke. No question. Look at how much more dynamic the 1st line and the team’s overall offense up and down the lines. Kelly scored 2C goals against Calgary IIRC. That’s 4th line scoring!
 
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It's simple to me. If Landy is healthy next year, and you want to keep Lindgren and Nelson, then you have to deal one of Manson or Girard, and go with a Middleton/Malinski-type bottom 3 paring that makes less than $1M on defense. And then you have to deal Wood and one of Colton or Coyle, and fill out the 4th line with prospects like Prishchepov and/or Ivan. This would leave you with something between $3M and $5M (depending on who you trade away and how much Lindgren and Nelson sign for) to go out and get someone for the 3rd line, or another D-man.

IMO, you trade away the guy that can get you the most in return, and that is Girard. Then you lose Manson after next season, and you have his $4.5M to use on another RD in 2026-27. It's too bad Behrens was injured and missed this entire season, as I'm almost betting that he would be on the Avs next year had he not lost a whole year of experience (He may still be, who knows). Trading Wood might not be easy. You might have to attach another asset to him to get someone to bite, or just buy him out ($708k '25, $1.208M '26-'29, and $708k '30-'33).
Now, I'm actually not here to advocate one guy or the other departing (yes, I know), but I disagree on which one of them yields the best return. That still would be Manson. Doesn't matter if he's been battling injury every single solitary season since signing (alliteration is fun) that deal. The appetite for big defensemen who hit will never cease. A much, much worse defenseman in Ilya Lyubushkin gets dealt for assets nearly every single deadline. And as has been pointed out, Manson is a very good skater for a big man and is a very capable puckmover. Sammy G really doesn't generate a whole lot of offense, he moves the puck well but has virtually no finish, doesn't have a great shot, and is not a big guy, and those are things other teams want nothing to do with. IMO he's a very good two-way defender but he has a lot of flaws. In short, he's just not as good a sell as Manson is.

I'm actually torn at this point. Yeah, yeah, I've dissed Manson a lot, though I maintain I love the guy when he's healthy. When he's playing hurt or just plain outta the lineup, he's useless. So yeah, maybe ditch him and sign Lindgren, though I imagine the same thing will happen with him then.

Sure hope Wyatt Aamodt proves to be an okay callup someday. He's not exactly a spring chicken anymore, but geez, if he can be a good bottom pair guy that saves a whole lotta cap and grief.
 
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