GDT: 2025 Trade Deadline | Y’all Got Anymore of Them Trades?

[Richard88]

8 years x4M for Nelson. Front load it so he gets most of his money early. Give us plenty of cap space to do other things while we compete. He’ll retire, LTIRetire or just be bought out for the second half of the contract.

Who gives a shit if we have 4M of dead weight on the cap 5 or 6 years from now. The team is going to be shit and the cap is going to be enormous.

Didn't the league make a statement or something warning teams against such deals last off-season when Toronto and Tanev were lining up a front loaded LTIRetirement deal?

 

[Richard88]

My thoughts in (xx).

Other thoughts...

- Hurricanes made a mistake, fine, but so does everyone. Nonetheless, I actually like how they were able to recover from their mistake and get the deal they got from the Stars. Stankoven will fit in their system as Jarvis 2.0. BUT they then failed again by not flipping those two 1st rounders for NHL roster players. I am not talking about rentals, but trade those firsts for legit NHL players and be a team built on depth instead of having star players. That's where they lost the plot for me, but them going after Marner wasn't a bad idea.

- Oilers huge losers as well. I actually like Walman a lot, even though you can also debate whether he's a bit overrated as well. He fits the system and reduces all their other trash defenders from getting more minutes. BUT, to waste their little remaining cap they had on a defenceman who doesn't really fix their issues instead of going after a goaler, even Mrazek for a back up spot is insane. Everyone was so happy in Oil Land when they signed Skinner and Arvidsson in the off season, but I laughed how those moves do nothing for them except destroy their cap structure.

- I really liked the deals that Ottawa made. Cozens might never become a 60+ point centre, but his talent is worth the risk, while shedding out the 68 shoulder injuries Norris. Getting Zetterlund is awesome, I am a huge fan of him and wanted Avs to draft him big time. He's going to be a great complementary piece for them.

- I don't know what the f*** Detroit is doing. They already have a solid goaler tandem yet Yzerman goes out and decides to get Petr to keep the three-headed monster goaler rotation that NEVER works out? Craig Smith is having a good season and was a good get there, but wanting Mrazek in the deal is so stupid. If he was forced to get him, then okay, but get a third team involved so you can trade him to them.

- Why didn't Trotz just trade Luke Schenn for those two picks instead lol? Nonsense GM-ing there.

- Canucks folded their cards after seeing what we, Dallas, and Jets did lol. Jets needed a 2nd line centre big time if they don't think Lowry can get the job done. Tanev is an awesome get, but doesn't fix that issue. Schenn is overrated AF, he blocks shots, but doesn't have the same style of game that Chris Tanev has.

- Also, I watched half of the stream on SN and then the other half on TSN. Holy smokes, TSN was just a huge joke. They have really dropped a ton in quality the last decade. SN had a lot of good blokes on it besides McLean. I get that Friedmann gets a lot of hate on here by some posters for his speculation, but he seems like a good down to earth guy. On TSN, all their insiders definitely smell their own farts. Dreger, McKenzie, O'Neill, Gord Miller, and LeBrun all come across as giant pricks and are so unlikeable. Dreger got raked over the coals by Elliotte in the insider game as well. TSN were mega losers.

- AJ had a 0% success rate when it came to insider info yesterday...again. Please, we gotta stop quoting this bloke when it comes to deals, he knows nothing.

I'm surprised that SJ moved on from Zetterlund. I mentioned him in some trade proposals a month or two ago as he'd have looked nice in the Avs bottom 6, but SJ fans were adamant that they'd re-sign him as he's been one of their better and more consistent players this year. His low caphit ($1.45m) with some retention would have been super easy to fit in this year too. Maybe a missed opportunity there even though the Avs were clearly looking for guys with a lot of playoff experience this week. Guessing he may be asking for a bigger raise as an RFA than SJ were comfortable giving him too.

 

[Avs9296]

There's a world where Landeskog comes back at a good level and the Avs suddenly have 5 top 6 forwards (listed below), one of which could logically be a piece moved in a package for a 2C if Nelson walks.

Necas
Landeskog
Nichushkin
Lehkonen
Drouin

Nichushkin or Lehkonen are the obvious candidates. CMac probably turns over every stone to find a 2C without moving either of them, but as a last resort it's potentially an option to give the team a quality 2C for the 2026 playoffs and beyond.

Or keep all those wingers and try Necas at 2C like he wanted in Carolina.

Drouin-Mack-Nuke
Landy-Necas-Lehky

 

[Richard88]

Coyle is capable of being a 2C. Last year he had 60 points with 25 goals, but he wouldn’t be a safe or long term solution at that position. In case Nelson leaves, I guess we can go with Coyle for a year, but then we have to find someone else

If Landeskog returns then the roster is kind of set up from a cap perspective to have Coyle at 2C with Nelson walking.

Drouin $4m
Lindgren $2.5m
Malinski $1.35m

Those signings give the 22 man roster below, $5k under the $95.5m cap ceiling.

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Coyle - Nichushkin
Colton - Drury - Lehkonen
Wood - Kelly - O'Connor
Ivan

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Lindgren $2.5m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

If Coyle can return to his 60 point form from last season then that's still a pretty deep lineup. Landeskog may not be quite at a top line level but if that's the case you slide him down a line or two and bump Lehkonen up.

Obviously there's not quite the same offensive punch from 2C as with Nelson. Signing him for something in the region of $7m AAV would theoretically still be possible, but would take some manoeuvring. For instance move Colton and Wood, which combined is $6.5m minus a replacement 4th liner at ~$800k, so that frees up $5.7m. That's not quite enough on its own for $7m for Nelson so you'd have to pass on signing Lindgren at $2.5m most likely as well, and instead sign someone for up to $1.2m (saving the extra $1.3m towards Nelson). So then you're looking at this lineup, also $5k under the cap:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Nelson $7m - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Coyle - O'Connor
Ivan - Drury - Kelly
13F $800k

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
3LHD $1.2m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

Clearly the second roster is preferable. Colton's NTC becomes a modified NTC so he can be moved this off-season which helps. Either way though it's pretty remarkable how big of a difference it makes to have Necas at $6.5m instead of Rantanen at almost double that.

 

[Chiarelli]

What’s the appeal to signing Lindgren? Seems Behrens/Guly have that covered…

 

[Richard88]

Tbh I would’ve still claimed him off waivers.

I'm surprised they could waive him if he was injured, I thought there was a rule against that. I recall having to keep Gilbert and some other AHL plug on the NHL roster a year or two ago for months because they got hurt and couldn't be sent back down until they were cleared to play again.

 

[CobraAcesS]

If Landeskog returns then the roster is kind of set up from a cap perspective to have Coyle at 2C with Nelson walking.

Drouin $4m
Lindgren $2.5m
Malinski $1.35m

Those signings give the 22 man roster below, $5k under the $95.5m cap ceiling.

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Coyle - Nichushkin
Colton - Drury - Lehkonen
Wood - Kelly - O'Connor
Ivan

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Lindgren $2.5m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

If Coyle can return to his 60 point form from last season then that's still a pretty deep lineup. Landeskog may not be quite at a top line level but if that's the case you slide him down a line or two and bump Lehkonen up.

Obviously there's not quite the same offensive punch from 2C as with Nelson. Signing him for something in the region of $7m AAV would theoretically still be possible, but would take some manoeuvring. For instance move Colton and Wood, which combined is $6.5m minus a replacement 4th liner at ~$800k, so that frees up $5.7m. That's not quite enough on its own for $7m for Nelson so you'd have to pass on signing Lindgren at $2.5m most likely as well, and instead sign someone for up to $1.2m (saving the extra $1.3m towards Nelson). So then you're looking at this lineup, also $5k under the cap:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Nelson $7m - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Coyle - O'Connor
Ivan - Drury - Kelly
13F $800k

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
3LHD $1.2m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

Clearly the second roster is preferable. Colton's NTC becomes a modified NTC so he can be moved this off-season which helps. Either way though it's pretty remarkable how big of a difference it makes to have Necas at $6.5m instead of Rantanen at almost double that.

I'd be keeping Lindgren over Manson potentially, pending how the playoffs go.

Manson will bring back a pretty good return.

 

[Richard88]

What’s the appeal to signing Lindgren? Seems Behrens/Guly have that covered…

Behrens and Gulyayev have a combined experience of 0 NHL games. Behrens is also coming off a lost year and barely had any pro level games to date either. If I remember right Gulyayev is also signed in the KHL until 2026 or 2027 as well.

Either way I doubt the Avs will want rookies in that 3LHD PK role.

Lindgren is obviously a player the Avs like due to his skating and physicality, and I think they'll try to keep him if the numbers and term work. This also assumes that he plays well the coming two months as well obviously, otherwise there would be no interest.

I'd be keeping Lindgren over Manson potentially, pending how the playoffs go.

Manson will bring back a pretty good return.

Manson is a RHS though., and for that reason I don't think the Avs move him. At least not ahead of Lindgren.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Behrens and Gulyayev have a combined experience of 0 NHL games. Behrens is also coming off a lost year and barely had any pro level games to date either. If I remember right Gulyayev is also signed in the KHL until 2026 or 2027 as well.

Either way I doubt the Avs will want rookies in that 3LHD PK role.

Lindgren is obviously a player the Avs like due to his skating and physicality, and I think they'll try to keep him if the numbers and term work. This also assumes that he plays well the coming two months as well obviously, otherwise there would be no interest.


Manson is a RHS though., and for that reason I don't think the Avs move him. At least not ahead of Lindgren.

Yes but he's old as fk, and more importantly held together with duct tape, and gum.

I'm not saying for sure yet. If he goes el monstro in the playoffs again, you just let Godzilla sleep in the regular season lol.

 

[Valushkin]

If Landeskog returns then the roster is kind of set up from a cap perspective to have Coyle at 2C with Nelson walking.

Drouin $4m
Lindgren $2.5m
Malinski $1.35m

Those signings give the 22 man roster below, $5k under the $95.5m cap ceiling.

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Coyle - Nichushkin
Colton - Drury - Lehkonen
Wood - Kelly - O'Connor
Ivan

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Lindgren $2.5m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

If Coyle can return to his 60 point form from last season then that's still a pretty deep lineup. Landeskog may not be quite at a top line level but if that's the case you slide him down a line or two and bump Lehkonen up.

Obviously there's not quite the same offensive punch from 2C as with Nelson. Signing him for something in the region of $7m AAV would theoretically still be possible, but would take some manoeuvring. For instance move Colton and Wood, which combined is $6.5m minus a replacement 4th liner at ~$800k, so that frees up $5.7m. That's not quite enough on its own for $7m for Nelson so you'd have to pass on signing Lindgren at $2.5m most likely as well, and instead sign someone for up to $1.2m (saving the extra $1.3m towards Nelson). So then you're looking at this lineup, also $5k under the cap:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Necas
Drouin $4m - Nelson $7m - Nichushkin
Lehkonen - Coyle - O'Connor
Ivan - Drury - Kelly
13F $800k

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
3LHD $1.2m - Malinski $1.35m
Middleton

Clearly the second roster is preferable. Colton's NTC becomes a modified NTC so he can be moved this off-season which helps. Either way though it's pretty remarkable how big of a difference it makes to have Necas at $6.5m instead of Rantanen at almost double that.

If we can somehow bring back Nelson next year and keep most of the roster, the following year the cap is gonna be over 100 mill. We do have to re-sign Cale though, and his number probably starts with at least 14 mill

 

[Balthazar]

We do have to re-sign Cale though, and his number probably starts with at least 14 mill

I think he gets 15.

McDavid gets 17 next year. He has to distance himself from Drai (because he's better and because he signs 2 years later).

 

[AllAboutAvs]

If we can somehow bring back Nelson next year and keep most of the roster, the following year the cap is gonna be over 100 mill. We do have to re-sign Cale though, and his number probably starts with at least 14 mill

Then you trade Makar and play Malinski in his place.

 

[Valushkin]

Then you trade Makar and play Malinski in his place.

I really wasn’t sure which emoji to use for this comment. Could have gone with any of surprised, angry, sad, went with laugh

Talk about mixed emotions

 

[Richard88]

If we can somehow bring back Nelson next year and keep most of the roster, the following year the cap is gonna be over 100 mill. We do have to re-sign Cale though, and his number probably starts with at least 14 mill

The cap is projected to jump to ~$104m in 2026 and $113.5m in 2027 when Makar is up. And in 2027 Girard, Lehkonen, and Colton hit UFA as well to create more cap flexibility. Re-signing Makar even for like $16m+ won't be an issue whatsoever.

Then you trade Makar and play Malinski in his place.

#AssetManagement

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I really wasn’t sure which emoji to use for this comment. Could have gone with any of surprised, angry, sad, went with laugh

Talk about mixed emotions

I feel the same sometimes. Sometimes I wish we could use more than one.

 

[Valushkin]

I feel the same sometimes. Sometimes I wish we could use more than one.

Technically we can use more than one, just have to use the phone’s emojis

 

[CobraAcesS]

Technically we can use more than one, just have to use the phone’s emojis

Like this?

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

What’s the appeal to signing Lindgren? Seems Behrens/Guly have that covered…

Yeah we'll see how he looks but unless he's truly instrumental and we go on a deep run, I don't think we should re-sign.

He's gonna get $3M+ at least and I don't think we should be paying a 5/6D that kind of money.

Unless they decide to move Manson instead.

 

[Valushkin]

Like this?

 

[AvsWraith]

Avs didn't pay that hefty price to let Nelson walk. They will move who they have to to keep him. Looking for that 2C every year is a problem they probably don't want to deal with anymore. Also, Nelson chose to come here, so he is probably open to working on a deal.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I think if you keep it pretty basic they work, but sometimes people's phone emojis seem to do that broken picture thing.

 

[Pokecheque]

I feel the same sometimes. Sometimes I wish we could use more than one.

 

[Valushkin]

I think if you keep it pretty basic they work, but sometimes people's phone emojis seem to do that broken picture thing.

Plus you have to hit reply every time you wanna use the phone’s emojis. Seems like too much hustle. Like @AllAboutAvs said, wish we could use more than one HF emojis. Maybe it’s something we can start a petition for

 

[madman]

Avs didn't pay that hefty price to let Nelson walk. They will move who they have to to keep him. Looking for that 2C every year is a problem they probably don't want to deal with anymore. Also, Nelson chose to come here, so he is probably open to working on a deal.

During the Daily Faceoff livestream on Friday afternoon, Seravalli mentioned that while the trade was made with no extension or guarantee of Nelson re-signing, that this was a preferred destination for him and the Avs were treating his acquisition as filling a need beyond this season. He said something along the lines of "the intention is for Nelson to be more than just a rental", IIRC.

 

[flyfysher]

Or keep all those wingers and try Necas at 2C like he wanted in Carolina.

Drouin-Mack-Nuke
Landy-Necas-Lehky

Do you realize how ironic that’d be if the Avs tried Necas at 2C AND IT WORKED! The Avs board would melt down over all of the assets unnecessarily lost.