Rumor: 2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency | The Aftermath

[dahrougem2]

Kiviranta has 16 goals in 76 games and kills penalties.

There is absolutely a team out there that will offer him a 4x2.5 contract at minimum if not 4x3 thinking he can play permanently on their 3rd line.

This is IMO his final season in Colorado. He has worked hard to get here since being waived by Dallas. He has earned the UFA deal.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

A shrewd cap savings move would be to dump Wood and replace his spot with Kivi at like $1.5M.

Would be an upgrade on the roster and also a not insignificant $1M cap saving as well.

I mean we all want that but is it reality.

 

[Pokecheque]

Going long-term with a career 4th liner is almost always a mistake. Just look at what happened with Miles Wood. Not sure the long-term extension for LOC was a great idea either, but I totally understand why they did it.

Kivi deserves the payday he's eventually going to get this summer, but I think it would be prudent for the Avs to opt out of that particular bidding war. It'd be a shame to lose a guy like that, especially since it felt like on more nights than not that he was the ONLY guy not in the top six who could score. but with limited cap space and big decisions looming, you can't keep handing these contracts to depth forwards.

 

[ABasin]

Kiviranta has 16 goals in 76 games and kills penalties.

There is absolutely a team out there that will offer him a 4x2.5 contract at minimum if not 4x3 thinking he can play permanently on their 3rd line.

This is IMO his final season in Colorado. He has worked hard to get here since being waived by Dallas. He has earned the UFA deal.

Yep. He ain’t getting signed for $1.5 or something.

 

[ABasin]

So...next years roster with Gabe back full time gets interesting cap wise.

Right now we'd be at:

Mack - $12,600,000
Landy - $7,000,000
Necas - $6,500,000
Nuke - $6,125,000
Coyle - $5,250,000
Lehky - $4,500,000
Colton - $4,000,000
Wood - $2,500,000
LOC - $2,500,000
Drury - $1,725,000
Kelly - $825,000


Makar - $9,000,000
Toews - $7,250,000
Girard - $5,000,000
Manson - $4,500,000
Middleton - $775,000

Blackwood - $5,250,000
Wedgewood - $1,500,000


Altogether I believe its $86,800,000


That would leave them with $8,700,000 to fill out the rest of the lineup.

In theory they could not trade anyone and make this work pretty easily. Coyle shifts to 2C, Drury to 3C. Drouin re-signs for ~$3M, Malinski for ~$1M, Lindgren for ~$4.5M. But you lose Nelson to UFA for sure and probably would need to trade for a 2C again next March.

Roster wise it would look something like:


Drouin - Mack - Nuke
Lehky - Coyle - Necas
Landy - Drury - Colton
Wood - Kelly - LOC


Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Lindgren - Malinski
Middleton



That's.... Not horrible? 2C sticks out of course but the winger depth and the defensive depth would be pretty noticeably quite strong honestly.


If they want to bring Nelson back... Colton for sure goes IMO. Then they probably need to find another ~$3M in savings elsewhere to fit Nelson in. There's definitely a few spots where that space could be saved, for example you could replace Lindgren or Manson with a ~$1.5M-2.5M 3LD to save a good bit, replace Wood with a $1M winger to save a chunk, not re-sign Drouin and replace him with a ~$1.5M winger, maybe they separate themselves from Nuke(I wouldn't but we don't know what may still be ongoing behind the scenes with him)...


There's plenty of options but honestly I'm wondering if they take the easiest route and just let Nelson walk, and see what Coyle can do at the 2C spot and what Drury can do at 3C especially with some quality wingers.

I think Drouin, Malinski, and Lindgren all make more than the numbers listed above.

 

[Foppa2118]

Kiviranta's case is kind of interesting.

A month or so ago, I thought his spot in the playoffs over someone like Kelly was basically a lock, and that he had played his way out of Colorado with 20 goals in reach.

But his energy levels and play has kind of dipped since then. He's one of the streakiest players I've seen.

I think he's still probably going to sign a bigger deal elsewhere than the Avs are comfortable with, but I feel like Kelly has the edge over him now in a 4th line role, in a healthy lineup.

Kelly's been like mini Cogs good on the wing. Very quick and tenacious in his puck hounding, with a bit of physicality. Which makes sense, because I believe they've been talking a lot.

 

[Balthazar]

My prediction for next summer: Landy's cap hit is activated, Nelson walks and Colton gets traded. Wood stays.

Avs will start the season with Mack, Coyle, Drury and Kelly at center.

Not sure they have the assets to trade for a 2C better than Coyle next deadline though.

 

[Foppa2118]

My prediction for next summer: Landy's cap hit is activated, Nelson walks and Colton gets traded. Wood stays.

Avs will start the season with Mack, Coyle, Drury and Kelly at center.

Not sure they have the assets to trade for a 2C better than Coyle next deadline though.

This is what I think as well.

Though I think if they really needed to, they might be able to move Wood with Colton, they just wouldn't get a good return. Especially if Colton has a good playoffs. If Wood does too, that would help as well.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I think Drouin, Malinski, and Lindgren all make more than the numbers listed above.

Highly doubt it.

Drouin doesn't want to play anywhere else and also can't stay healthy, Malinski has 13 points in 70 games as an offensive Dman and an RFA not UFA.


Lindgren is the one that maybe gets more but we'll see. He was having back to back awful years before he got here and all of the projected contracts for him from stats guy had him making even less then this(Most in the $3.5-$4M range).

 

[the_fan]

Trade everybody in the offseason for draft picks. We’ll have 95 mill in cap space

 

[dahrougem2]

This is what I think as well.

Though I think if they really needed to, they might be able to move Wood with Colton, they just wouldn't get a good return. Especially if Colton has a good playoffs. If Wood does too, that would help as well.

I don't think Wood sees a single playoff game unless a couple of forwards are hurt at once.

IMO there are 13 clearly ahead of him.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't think Wood sees a single playoff game unless a couple of forwards are hurt at once.

IMO there are 13 clearly ahead of him.

So you're saying he's gonna play playoff games?

 

[Balthazar]

This is what I think as well.

Though I think if they really needed to, they might be able to move Wood with Colton, they just wouldn't get a good return. Especially if Colton has a good playoffs. If Wood does too, that would help as well.

I don’t see any team showing interest in Wood this offseason. Players with four years left on their contract and frequent healthy scratches aren’t typically appealing to GMs looking to make additions.

Colton I'm hopeful that someone will agree to take him without sending a contract back but I'm not sure.

If we manage to trade Colton I think we keep Lindgren.

 

[Foppa2118]

I don’t see any team showing interest in Wood this offseason. Players with four years left on their contract and frequent healthy scratches aren’t typically appealing to GMs looking to make additions.

Colton I'm hopeful that someone will agree to take him without sending a contract back but I'm not sure.

Perhaps, but I feel like similar things have been said about many players in the past.

Certain teams always like a guy like Wood. If he plays in the playoffs, and plays a hard forechecking game, while maybe getting a big goal or two, that could entice some teams.

Avs might also be willing to retain like $500k or so, if they think they can get better value out of guys making under $2M. Especially if it's Wood vs a good 4th liner at near league min.

For similar reasons, a buyout could be possible as well. He'd be on the books for 8 years, but it wouldn't cost too much, especially next year.

Next year and the latter years where they may be rebuilding migth be worth it. The middle years it's probably close. They'd have to be confident they had a better 4th liner making near league min.

2025-26 - $708,333
2026-27 - $1,208,333
2027-28 - $1,208,333
2028-29 - $1,208,333
2029-30 - $708,333
2030-31 - $708,333
2031-32 - $708,333
2032-33 - $708,333

A trade with some retention is more about cap savings, but a buyout is probably more about finding a more reliable player that doesn't have back issues.

 

[Balthazar]

Perhaps, but I feel like similar things have been said about many players in the past.

Certain teams always like a guy like Wood. If he plays in the playoffs, and plays a hard forechecking game, while maybe getting a big goal or two, that could entice some teams.

Avs might also be willing to retain like $500k or so, if they think they can get better value out of guys making under $2M. Especially if it's Wood vs a good 4th liner at near league min.

For similar reasons, a buyout could be possible as well. He'd be on the books for 8 years, but it wouldn't cost too much, especially next year.

Next year and the latter years where they may be rebuilding migth be worth it. The middle years it's probably close. They'd have to be confident they had a better 4th liner making near league min.

2025-26 - $708,333
2026-27 - $1,208,333
2027-28 - $1,208,333
2028-29 - $1,208,333
2029-30 - $708,333
2030-31 - $708,333
2031-32 - $708,333
2032-33 - $708,333

A trade with some retention is more about cap savings, but a buyout is probably more about finding a more reliable player that doesn't have back issues.

If we have to retain or buy him out that really, really sucks.

 

[Foppa2118]

If we have to retain or buy him out that really, really sucks.

It would be annoying, but can't change the past, it's about what makes them better moving forward.

I'm not as down on Miles as others. I think he can be a solid player, he just has back issues now that keep him out of the lineup, and impact his effectiveness a lot when he does play.

I think he's shown that again lately. Outside of the times he just runs himself into the end boards instead of stopping, like Luis Mendoza from the Mighty Ducks, which is almost every game.

 

[Ceremony]

Blidh is still in the NHL!?

Two years! I knew the Rangers had imploded but I didn't think it was that bad.

 

[MacKaRtin]

If we have to retain or buy him out that really, really sucks.

I hear Robidas Island is looking for new citizens...

 

[Pokecheque]

Eh, I think there'll be some team out there just looking to reach the cap floor or wanting to take on a warm body who will take Miles Wood in a trade. Colton might be a harder sell though.

 

[Foppa2118]

Eh, I think there'll be some team out there just looking to reach the cap floor or wanting to take on a warm body who will take Miles Wood in a trade. Colton might be a harder sell though.

I think there could be interest in Colton too. Only two years left at $4M.

He's basically a perennial 20 goal 40 point guy, who can play C or W. That's ok value for $4M and it's going to be even better in the next couple years.

22 goals 39 points in Tampa. 17 goals 40 points for the Avs last year. On a 22 goal 39 point pace over 82 games this year.

He can be more of a middle six guy than a 3rd liner on other teams too.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Eh, I think there'll be some team out there just looking to reach the cap floor or wanting to take on a warm body who will take Miles Wood in a trade. Colton might be a harder sell though.

Can’t say I agree with you here.

There will be a much bigger market for Colton over Wood.

One of them barely plays and has a chronic back injury. The other produces at a great rate for a 3rd liner and is attractive for many teams.

 

[LOFIN]

Can’t say I agree with you here.

There will be a much bigger market for Colton over Wood.

One of them barely plays and has a chronic back injury. The other produces at a great rate for a 3rd liner and is attractive for many teams.

One of them also plays center. Doesn't matter how often or how good he's at it, when GMs look at his EliteProspects page they see the C and are immediately attracted to it.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I don’t see any team showing interest in Wood this offseason. Players with four years left on their contract and frequent healthy scratches aren’t typically appealing to GMs looking to make additions.

Colton I'm hopeful that someone will agree to take him without sending a contract back but I'm not sure.

If we manage to trade Colton I think we keep Lindgren.

I really think people underrate Coltons value around here. Scored 40 last year, pacing for 39 this year. Plays a somewhat gritty game and he isn't excess value, but at 4mil he's easily a contract that provides at least market value. Some playoff/fringe playoff teams would absolutely be interested in adding him to improve their depth imo.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

This offseason I would like us to rid ourselves of both Colton and Wood. I like them both and would love them to be our 4th line... but I'd love for them to be doing that at 1-1.5M per year.

If someone has any interest in Ross, we almost HAVE to try and attach Wood to it. These guys are soulmates. It would be heart-rending to separate them. Just saying.

After that my plans really depend on what Landy proves to be. If he's a top six winger things get a lot freaking easier. If he's a third liner, things are doable but a bit tougher. If he's a 4th liner... Yeah, we need to go rob someone... but, "Your honor... with this core, it absolutely had to be done." That would be my excuse in court.

Nelson > Lindgren > JD > Kivi is the order in which I prioritize the UFAs.

EJ... I'm not offering him a contract.






As a player. I'm handing that dude a contract to replace Pratt.

 

[nammerus]

My prediction for next summer: Landy's cap hit is activated, Nelson walks and Colton gets traded. Wood stays.

Avs will start the season with Mack, Coyle, Drury and Kelly at center.

Not sure they have the assets to trade for a 2C better than Coyle next deadline though.

CMac definitely is incompetent enough to start another season with that type of C depth.