Rumor: 2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency | The Aftermath

[hockeyfish]

Don't close the door on Nelson just yet.

 

[The Merchant]

In the past 10 years, the most expensive UFA signings the Avs have made are:

Ian Cole @ $4.25m AAV
Joonas Donskoi @ $3.9m AAV

Star players do not want to sign in Denver.

Trades, signing European and college free agents, and developing our own draft picks are our only options.

Please, people… understand and accept this.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

oh boy... incoming 8 million by 4 years lol.

This is amazing news. Obviously nothing done yet but he’s the best option and I’m glad to hear there’s mutual interest.

 

[hockeyfish]

I want it to happen mostly to watch half the board just off a cliff. I'll just sit back and eat some marshmellows.

 

[Ararana]

This is amazing news. Obviously nothing done yet but he’s the best option and I’m glad to hear there’s mutual interest.

He's clearly the Avs best shot at having a 2C next year, so yes good news even if they have to overpay for him.

An 8 million AAV Brock Nelson is better than not having a 2C at all.

 

[NateTheGreat]

I’ll be stoked if we re-sign Nelson. We need him a lot more than he needs us…

Landy-Nelson-Necas for the 2nd line please and thank you.

 

[Balthazar]

oh boy... incoming 8 million by 4 years lol.

He turned down 7.5M X 3 with the Isles...that's gotta be a 4 or 5 year offer with a similar AAV.

It's going to be a terrible, terrible contract but that's the best we can hope for at this point.

 

[Ararana]

He turned down 7.5M X 3 with the Isles...that's gotta be a 4 or 5 year offer with a similar AAV.

That's going to be a terrible, terrible contract but that's the best we can hope for at this point.

Yup. Even an 8x4 is 9.5 million more in total than the Isles offer.

Just do it. They can't go into another season without a 2C. Pay the man.

 

[Muffin]

How's our cap situation? Can we afford Nelson without shipping anyone off the roster?

 

[Balthazar]

Can we afford Nelson without shipping anyone off the roster?

 

[Ararana]

How's our cap situation? Can we afford Nelson without shipping anyone off the roster?

They're shipping out a few players, with or without Nelson.

I'd be shocked if Colton and Wood are still on the Avs come the draft.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

As disheartening as this season ended, if they can return next year with Nate-Nelson-Coyle down the middle the Avs are pretty stacked again. Sometimes it’s hard to see past the pain but this roster was pretty loaded.

Colton, Drouin, Wood and Lindgren out isn’t the end of the world.

Could totally see Girard and maybe even Drury traded to replenish some draft capital while trying to replace them in free agency.

 

[LOFIN]

It's going to be a terrible, terrible contract but that's the best we can hope for at this point.

Yeah pretty much. There really isn't a realistic alternative to a #2C out there. I think it's positive if this is true (who knows when we are talking about Pagnotta), and kinda demonstrates what I said earlier here:

They talked about it in the DNVR podcast a few days ago, and I think the guys made a good point that a lot of guys who come here, do want to stay. But it's not an easy sell. Even if the Avs are a good hockey team, Denver is "meh" (don't be offended, but just as an outsider looking at North America), and the organization has a reputation of being cheap when it comes to facilities and whatnot.

If you can get them here via trade, there's a good chance to re-sign those players. But getting them here via free agency? Tougher job.

The Nelson experience wasn't the greatest from either sides POV, and there is going to be a big market for him. Many teams are desperate for that #2C, Vancouver, Minnesota and Winnipeg for an example (yeah, I know he vetoed a trade to Winnipeg), some are going to be able to offer more money for him. If he still wants to stay, that's a good thing.

 

[NateTheGreat]

Why would a Nelson extension be such a terrible contract? I remember when everyone said Kadri was about to be overpaid a horrible contract and look how that ended up.

If Brock, who stays in phenomal shape, can put up 55-60 points for the length of his contract, 7-8M is entirely reasonable.

We need to compete before Makar gets his mega deal. Letting Nelson walk doesn’t accomplish that.

 

[Foppa2118]

This board needs an old school twitter 160 character limit.

Yeah let's make this place like twitter. That'll improve things.

 

[BobRossColton]

Do 8x4
Use Colton and Manson or G as trade capital in any form.
Buy out wood

 

[Balthazar]

Why would a Nelson extension be such a terrible contract?

He’s turning 34 in October, which means you never know when his game might fall off a cliff. It could happen in four years or it might have already started which could explain some of his play with the Avs.

 

[LOFIN]

Why would a Nelson extension be such a terrible contract? I remember when everyone said Kadri was about to be overpaid a horrible contract and look how that ended up.

If Brock, who stays in phenomal shape, can put up 55-60 points for the length of his contract, 7-8M is entirely reasonable.

We need to compete before Makar gets his mega deal. Letting Nelson walk doesn’t accomplish that.

With Kadri, his last season with the Avs was "ok" to say the least. 100 point pace, 35 goal pace over 82 games. And we know what he did in the playoffs.

Nelson wasn't a complete miss, but not a hit either. I think it's reasonable to be sceptical around this deal. But also realize, that we are in a much more desperate situation now.

Like the Finnish coach Petri Matikainen once said in an interview: "It's a shitty situation. But we'll eat that shit. We'll eat the shit and move on".

 

[NateTheGreat]

He’s turning 34 in October, which means you never know when his game might fall off a cliff. It could happen in four years or it might have already started which could explain some of his play with the Avs.

I agree that age is a concern, but we’ve seen players age well before. Nothing about Brock’s game is overly physical in nature. If he maintains his skating ability, I don’t see why his game would fall off a cliff.

He also had good numbers with Landeskog and Nuke so his play with the Avs is a mixed bag.

Do you have another suggestion for our 2C that is less risky and costs zero assets? The Avs are in a position where they need to take on risk.

 

[NateTheGreat]

With Kadri, his last season with the Avs was "ok" to say the least. 100 point pace, 35 goal pace over 82 games. And we know what he did in the playoffs.

Nelson wasn't a complete miss, but not a hit either. I think it's reasonable to be sceptical around this deal. But also realize, that we are in a much more desperate situation now.

Like the Finnish coach Petri Matikainen once said in an interview: "It's a shitty situation. But we'll eat that shit. We'll eat the shit and move on".

Totally agreed with the desperation part. The Avs don’t have many moves here, re-signing Brock is likely the best one. Sign him and live with the results. You simply can’t go into another contending season with a question mark at 2C.

 

[Balthazar]

=
Do you have another suggestion for our 2C that is less risky and costs zero assets?

I don't, which is why I said earlier that it's bad but we have no choice. Once players reach 30 they start to decline, some earlier than others. It's not always because of physical play either, look at Zibanejad, he's only 32.

 

[EdAVSfan]

oh boy... incoming 8 million by 4 years lol.

Incredible news if true.

We’ll have to see what the contract looks like. At this point, we have no idea on why the rejected rumored offer 7.5M x 3 was declined.

Is it because of not enough money?
Not enough term?
Not enough opportunity to win?

In an ideal world the Avs can extend the years to get the AAV in the 6s. Not expected, but hopeful.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I still think Nelson can work out, he seemed to take a more backseat role and tried to support his linemates defensively. He needs a primary puck carrier like Necas on his line.

 

[Balthazar]

TBH I'd feel a lot more optimistic about Nelson if we had a new coach.

 

[LOFIN]

Totally agreed with the desperation part. The Avs don’t have many moves here, re-signing Brock is likely the best one. Sign him and live with the results. You simply can’t go into another contending season with a question mark at 2C.

Now, what throws a wrench in this thinking, is that we thought we had the answer with Mittelstadt. He looked great against the Jets, but then stagnated (like the rest of the team) against the Stars in the playoffs. We all know how this season went. Are we all confident that it was just Mitts? He didn't look great in Boston either, so I suppose. But I think Bednar could've done more to get him going, when looking back at it.

All eyes are on Bednar, he has to make the top-6 work, from day-1. It's not quite like 2022, but MacK-Brock-Lehky-Landy-Nuke-Necas would have to be up there in terms of top-6 quality around the league. If it doesn't, moves have to be made. CMac has ditched his wagon to plenty of players that have not worked under Bednar, then corrected those mistakes. At some point, you also have to look at the coach.

All of this assuming Nelson is signed and other guys are not traded away