Speculation: 2025 Off-season Thread

[The Merchant]

Has anybody been fired or traded yet?

Nah. Joe and CMac ware probably waiting for him on the tarmac to give him a big hug and have a nice cry together.

 

[The Moops]

I really don’t know how they can still have faith in CMac after losing Kadri, Mikko trade and emptying the draft and prospect pool on failed attempts to fix the 2C which he created in first place. He needs to go

I'm not against it, but typically GMs get a chance to pick their own coaches at least once in their shelf life

 

[LOFIN]

I'm not against it, but typically GMs get a chance to pick their own coaches at least once in their shelf life

I'm very much neutral when it comes to CMac at this point in time. I'm fine with replacing him, I'm fine if he stays. It's up to Sakic and ownership. But if he stays, he needs to make changes to the coaching staff.

I very much appreciate the aggressive nature of CMac doing business, and there have been some savvy moves. On the other hand, a lot of those moves have been him unf***ing his own f***ups.

More than anything, I don't know who would be a suitable candidate to replace him, when we need to get right back at it next year. Replacing Bednar should be much easier.

 

[shadow1]

I'm not against it, but typically GMs get a chance to pick their own coaches at least once in their shelf life

The precedence should be different here. CMac took over the Cup champs less than a week after the SCF. He's spent an ungodly amount of assets and gotten one playoff series win out of it. The roster is worse on paper, this isn't all on the coaching.

 

[the_fan]

I'm not against it, but typically GMs get a chance to pick their own coaches at least once in their shelf life

I really think this team needs a whole new identity. New GM and entire new coaching staff. If they stay path and keep everybody, we’ll probably have a better regular season than this year, then lose to Dallas again in the playoffs. It’s mental hurdle not being able to beat the Stars in the playoffs. We need to fix that and by keeping the same front office and coach won’t fix the issue. Not sure if only changing the coach will be enough

 

[LOFIN]

I really think this team needs a whole new identity. New GM and entire new coaching staff. If they stay path and keep everybody, we’ll probably have a better regular season than this year, then lose to Dallas again in the playoffs. It’s mental hurdle not being able to beat the Stars in the playoffs. We need to fix that and by keeping the same front office and coach won’t fix the issue. Not sure if only changing the coach will be enough

The GM isn't involved with the d2d operations of the team itself. The GM is not there setting the culture, or identity, other than through his coaching hires and roster management.

 

[AvBuff]

OK, thoughts after 12 hours to (un) digest.

• Mikko Trade: I'd still do it, even after last night. The Avs are a better team now than they were pre-Mikko to Carolina. CMac was right. We needed depth more than Mikko. We got it. But nobody could have predicted Mikko to Dallas. And where was this Mikko against Dallas last year? But you gotta pay Cale next year. A lot. And if they knew Landy was gonna play in the playoffs and beyond? Well that's LTIR you gotta now pay for and something had to give.
• PP/PK. This series was lost on special teams. We couldn't kill a key penalty. We couldn't score on the PP. Pratt and Bennett should probably go.
• Bednar. Ugh. I love Jared Bednar. Top 5 coach in the league. Maybe top 3. But after what, 9 years, it may be time for a change. There is a clear disconnect when it comes to Dallas. You can't let this get into his head because we're going to playing Dallas for a good long time.
• Bednar Part II. Not playing Landeskog in games 1 and 2 was an enormous mistake. Cost them the series. If that was a coaching decision . . . adios.
• CMac. No GM bats 1000% . Good ones don't bat .750. It's easy to play woulda, coulda ,shoulda GM 3-4-5 years down the road. Yes, you probably should have bit the bullet on Kadri. But that would also mean he could Nostradamus (Quasimodo in the Sopranos) the roster and predict that Landy's knee was gonzo for 3 years and he'd have $20+ million in cap space until 2025. Not gonna go there. I've already posted my thoughts on Mikko. Cmac stays. But he's on the clock. We all are.

The Avs are still a damn good team. They will win a lot of games and will easily make the playoffs for the foreseeable future. This isn't the time to nuke everything from orbit. But the coaching staff should probably get launched if no reason than to clear everybody's head when it comes to Dallas. Still a fan. Still love those guys. Love the way they play. But change is inevitable.

 

[S E P H]

Nah. Joe and CMac ware probably waiting for him on the tarmac to give him a big hug and have a nice cry together.

Back to cryosleep I go.

Good day, gents.

 

[the_fan]

The GM isn't involved with the d2d operations of the team itself. The GM is not there setting the culture, or identity, other than through his coaching hires and roster management.

Yeah but look at some of the moves CMac has made since given the GM job. There are more bad than good.

Losing Kadri - bad
Colton - bad because 4 mill for 3rd line winger
Wood - bad
Georgiev - bad
RyJo - bad
Mittlestadt- bad
Wedgewood - good
Blackwood - good
Nelson - probably bad
Coyle- good
Mikko - bad even though we got Necas and Drury

Not even listing all of his moves, those are just the big ones he made and you can see the results

 

[RECKLESS]

I'm not going to argue about what kind of changes the Avs need or need not to do, but here are some facts laid out:

- The Avs were basically completely healthy in the first round. Yes, we lost Colton in the first game and Landy didn't join until the 3rd game, but you get what I mean. Makar and maybe some people were hurt, but they played. So that's not an excuse.
- This team is going to be worse next year in all likelihood. We are going to lose some players, and we don't really have the money or assets to replace them with something equal or better.
- Dallas was missing two of their top-3 players, and they still beat us.

So to summarize: we had the best chance since 2022 to go on a deep run, we couldn't do it against an injured team, and next season we are going to be worse. How can you say after those facts are laid out that we don't need to make changes?

Yeah fact is this was our best chance since the cup run, but don't let the first round exit fool you. This could've or should've been the west final. "Next season we are going to be worse". I'm just not there. Start of season we'll be in a better place and it will be nicer to build on it. And we can and will make moves. It just doesn't need to be fire all the coaching staff, the GM and everyone not Mack or Makar. Steady as she goes.

 

[AnimalMother73]

OK, thoughts after 12 hours to (un) digest.

• Mikko Trade: I'd still do it, even after last night. The Avs are a better team now than they were pre-Mikko to Carolina. CMac was right. We needed depth more than Mikko. We got it. But nobody could have predicted Mikko to Dallas. And where was this Mikko against Dallas last year?
• PP/PK. This series was lost on special teams. We couldn't kill a key penalty. We couldn't score on the PP. Pratt and Bennett should probably go.
• Bednar. Ugh. I love Jared Bednar. Top 5 coach in the league. Maybe top 3. But after what, 9 years, it may be time for a change. There is a clear disconnect when it comes to Dallas. You can't let this get into his head because we're going to playing Dallas for a good long time.
• Bednar Part II. Not playing Landeskog in games 1 and 2 was an enormous mistake. Cost them the series. If that was a coaching decision . . . adios.
• CMac. No GM bats 1000% . Good ones don't bat .750. It's easy to play woulda, coulda ,shoulda GM 3-4-5 years down the road. Yes, you probably should have bit the bullet on Kadri. But that would also mean he could Nostradamus (Quasimodo in the Sopranos) the roster and predict that Landy's knee was gonzo for 3 years and he'd have $20+ million in cap space until 2025. Not gonna go there. I've already posted my thoughts on Mikko. Cmac stays. But he's on the clock. We all are.

The Avs are still a damn good team. They will win a lot of games and will easily make the playoffs for the foreseeable future. This isn't the time to nuke everything from orbit. But the coaching staff should probably get launched if no reason than to clear everybody's head when it comes to Dallas. Still a fan. Still love those guys. Love the way they play. But change is inevitable.

I love the way they play too but it doesn’t seem to win often in the playoffs. Team isn’t built for playoff hockey. Can’t have 5 of your 6 D six feet or shorter too small they get wrecked come playoff time. I would take loss on a Girard trade if it could bring in a bigger stay at home guy.

 

[the_fan]

Yeah fact is this was our best chance since the cup run, but don't let the first round exit fool you. This could've or should've been the west final. "Next season we are going to be worse". I'm just not there. Start of season we'll be in a better place and it will be nicer to build on it. And we can and will make moves. It just doesn't need to be fire all the coaching staff, the GM and everyone not Mack or Makar. Steady as she goes.

Next year we should have a better regular season because we have good goaltending and not Georgiev, and we’ll have healthy Landy and overall healthier team. The problem is, going into the playoffs with the same coaching and identity, we are gonna lose to Dallas again unless we get lucky and don’t face them because another team eliminates them.

We don’t even know if we gonna have a 2C again. Coyle is probably gonna be the guy we rely on until CMac makes another trade or something, which again, I really don’t want him to keep trading assets for failed attempts to fix that position. It hasn’t worked since 2022

 

[forsbergavs32]

@forsbergavs32 can you just ban me for a few months so I stop instinctively coming here and raging?

Or you could just take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember it’s just a game

 

[Ararana]

The next couple of years are going to hurt, fam.

 

[AvsWraith]

- Let Nelson go. f*** that old useless f***!
- Trade Necas for a 2C f*** that soft bitch
- Trade Girard - I watched that goal off your foot again last night again and almost smashed my remote. f*** youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! You are half the reason everyone on the main boards are rubbing Mikko in our faces. How the f*** did you let that happen in a game that important? f***ing asshole! I bet you can't even ride roller coasters.

The only guys I really want on the team right now are: LOC, Landy, and Manson. We are in such a bad place...

 

[AvBuff]

I love the way they play too but it doesn’t seem to win often in the playoffs. Team isn’t built for playoff hockey. Can’t have 5 of your 6 D six feet or shorter too small they get wrecked come playoff time. I would take loss on a Girard trade if it could bring in a bigger stay at home guy.

I hear that. But the Mikko wraparound goal was not on Girard - SG was covering for Lindgren's massive coverage F up.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I agree, it's tight, but we're seeing right now the value a player like Lindgren brings in the playoffs. Guys who can play that nasty brand of hockey and also skate well enough to fit the Avs system are hard to find.

Yep, I'm keeping Lindgren over Girard if a choice needs to be made.

You know CMac and Bednar gonna put on their nerd glasses, look at the analytic numbers and see that they outplayed Dallas and they’re gonna stay path. Don’t really see any big changes players or coaching.

The way we lost game 7 was just mental weakness as it often happens with this team. They gave up one goal, still being up by one and couldn’t recover from it. When they gave up the tying goal then took a penalty, we already knew it was over. Just the same old predictable team.

There is a high chance you are right about this.

I really am not sure what the obvious answers are for everything except one thing. The power play is unacceptable, and I don't care if it gets hot at times. The power play should be more consistently dangerous, not on and off like a light switch depending on how hot Mack & Makar are.

The power play needs to push momentum, not just either score or look pathetic.

We lost this series because that hasn't been recognized for years.

So, at the bare minimum new assistants, but it should probably be the whole staff. I just have no idea who you replace Bednar with. If Cooper would have been let go, or Sullivan was still out there that answer would be obvious, but it's not.

No thank you on Nelson either, just too soft in the playoffs, too old, and likely not worth some shit like 7M for 5 years or whatever. If you want to take a chance on an older player go get Kadri back.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Coaching:

- Fire Bednar. Fire his assistants Bennett, Pratt, Parkkila.

- Hire Coach Q. Hire Tanguay(PP) and Foote(PK) as assistants. New goalie coach, too.

UFAs:

- Nelson can walk. This failed miserably.

- Lindgren can walk. Cannot play at our pace and will be heavily overpaid as a 27 year old UFA.

- Kiviranta can go. Will probably want decent money for an almost 20 goal season. Didn’t do shit in the playoffs. We have better PKers.

- Vesey, EJ… see you later.

- Drouin should be brought back. 2 x $2.5m. Sucked in the playoffs but is a cheap top 6 forward for the regular season. Can try to upgrade on him at the deadline as needed.

RFAs:

- Malinski back. 2 x $2m.

Trades:

- See if anybody will take Miles Wood. Don’t care if it’s for future considerations or anything. Maybe a team like Chicago, Islanders, Anaheim or something likes his speed and physicality. Add a pick to him if need be to dump him.

———

Drouin - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Landeskog - Necas - Lehkonen
Colton - Coyle - ???
Kelly - Drury - O’Connor
???

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Middleton/Aamodt - Malinski
Aamodt/Middleton

Blackwood
Wedgewood

Cap Space: $3.5m

Sign a RW and a depth forward(or Ivan/Prishy).

Figure out the rest(LW + LD upgrades) at the trade deadline.

 

[The Moops]

Or you could just take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember it’s just a game

Yeah yeah yeah

 

[forsbergavs32]

Coaching:

- Fire Bednar. Fire his assistants Bennett, Pratt, Parkkila.

- Hire Coach Q. Hire Tanguay(PP) and Foote(PK) as assistants. New goalie coach, too.

UFAs:

- Nelson can walk. This failed miserably.

- Lindgren can walk. Cannot play at our pace and will be heavily overpaid as a 27 year old UFA.

- Kiviranta can go. Will probably want decent money for an almost 20 goal season. Didn’t do shit in the playoffs. We have better PKers.

- Vesey, EJ… see you later.

- Drouin should be brought back. 2 x $2.5m. Sucked in the playoffs but is a cheap top 6 forward for the regular season. Can try to upgrade on him at the deadline as needed.

RFAs:

- Malinski back. 2 x $2m.

Trades:

- See if anybody will take Miles Wood. Don’t care if it’s for future considerations or anything. Maybe a team like Chicago, Islanders, Anaheim or something likes his speed and physicality. Add a pick to him if need be to dump him.

———

Drouin - MacKinnon - Nichushkin
Landeskog - Necas - Lehkonen
Colton - Coyle - ???
Kelly - Drury - O’Connor
???

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Middleton/Aamodt - Malinski
Aamodt/Middleton

Blackwood
Wedgewood

Cap Space: $3.5m

Sign a RW and a depth forward(or Ivan/Prishy).

Figure out the rest(LW + LD upgrades) at the trade deadline.

I’m not exactly excited at the thought of bringing Drouin back, but if the idea is going to be Necas at 2C then we’ll need him.

 

[Stephen]

Question I've been meaning to ask Avs fans.

Is Landeskog's resumption of career seen as a huge positive or is there a risk, dread factor in having to manage the cap of a player who has been inactive for so long for so many more years? And if there's been any discussion that he should have gone out the door instead of a prime Rantanen?

 

[LOFIN]

Question I've been meaning to ask Avs fans.

Is Landeskog's resumption of career seen as a huge positive or is there a risk, dread factor in having to manage the cap of a player who has been inactive for so long for so many more years? And if there's been any discussion that he should have gone out the door instead of a prime Rantanen?

Positive, and there was never a discussion of Landeskog vs Rantanen

 

[forsbergavs32]

Question I've been meaning to ask Avs fans.

Is Landeskog's resumption of career seen as a huge positive or is there a risk, dread factor in having to manage the cap of a player who has been inactive for so long for so many more years? And if there's been any discussion that he should have gone out the door instead of a prime Rantanen?

No chance at all they were going to trade him. He’s the captain and a huge part of the Avs. It was either a return or LTIRetire.

We’re all happy to have him back and seems like he’s good to go. He was better in than series than we could have imagined.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Question I've been meaning to ask Avs fans.

Is Landeskog's resumption of career seen as a huge positive or is there a risk, dread factor in having to manage the cap of a player who has been inactive for so long for so many more years? And if there's been any discussion that he should have gone out the door instead of a prime Rantanen?

Landeskog’s healthy return is a massive addition on all fronts; leadership, on-ice, whatever.

His cap hit is not a concern.

It was never even a remote consideration to dump Landeskog. He also has a full NMC and would probably never consider a trade, but that’s a moot point as we would never trade him.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Or you could just take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember it’s just a game

Hell of a month or two coming up for you!