Rumor: 2026 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Offseason Edition

[RoyIsALegend]

Imagine... all this drama and these dreams you created... destroyed like tears in the rain.

Turns out... Calgary was trying to get a leg up and bring Cale in early by offering us the shit we gave them for Kadri back plus two 2nds.

This is what I said would happen:

- Nichushkin traded. Done.
- Colton traded. Done.
- Drury traded. No extension, no arbitration. Done.
- Avs have had a list of top 4 LHD they’ve wanted to acquire. If not possible, re-sign Kulak who was a great fit and evaluate again by the TDL.

If July 1st comes around and we haven’t either traded for a D or extended Kulak, we can start to panic. There’s 5 days to do that.

Unlike previous years, Sakic has been able to get the key departure trades completed by the draft. This is all positive stuff.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

If the Avs offered Kulak an 8 year 3.2M AAV contract with higher cash paid out in early years, how would a buyout look after 4 or 5 years?

 

[dahrougem2]

If the Avs offered Kulak an 8 year 3.2M AAV contract with higher cash paid out in early years, how would a buyout look after 4 or 5 years?

Lmao you dirty dawg, you. Tryna find ways. I like it.

 

[hockeyfish]

A guy I think might shake loose is Kaiser out of Chicago. I know he isn’t 6 foot 20, but he’d fit well, and Chicago is pretty full of lefty D now that they have Bo.

I expect Sakic to be looking for guys who are blocked or buried and trying to snipe them.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

No.

Barring somebody making an offer that can’t be refused, we won’t be trading away any NHLers.

I could see Brindley being included in a trade for a defenseman along with other assets if it makes sense for us. Just my personal feeling.

Does Brindley have much value?

He's not really established as a proper NHLer yet.

I think Brindley and some picks for Nurse with significant retention would piss off the maximum amount of people. So hopefully Joe does that. Then Bednar unlocks Nurses' inner Toews and the Avs somehow have the best top 4 in the league.

 

[hockeyfish]

Does Brindley have much value?

He's not really established as a proper NHLer yet.

I think Brindley and some picks for Nurse with significant retention would piss off the maximum amount of people. So hopefully Joe does that. Then Bednar unlocks Nurses' inner Toews and the Avs somehow have the best top 4 in the league.

God I can’t wait until Nurse gets traded to Philly/Pitt.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Lmao you dirty dawg, you. Tryna find ways. I like it.

Clause AI tells me this based on 3M AAV:
No idea if it’s true or not.

Kulak was born January 6, 1994 , so he’s currently 32. Here’s how the NHL buyout formula would work on a hypothetical 8-year, $3M AAV contract bought out after year 4:

The Setup
• Contract signed: Summer 2026 (age 32)
• Buyout after year 4: Summer 2030 (age 36)
• Remaining years: 4 (years 5–8)
• Remaining salary owed: 4 × $3M = $12M

NHL Buyout Formula
Since Kulak would be over 35 at buyout time, the formula is:
1/3 of remaining contract value, paid over 2× the remaining years
• 1/3 × $12M = $4M total buyout cost
• Paid over 8 years (2 × 4 remaining)
• = $500K/year in cap hit for 8 years
The Avalanche would save the remaining $3M/year cap hit but carry $500K/year for 8 years through approximately 2038.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

God I can’t wait until Nurse gets traded to Philly/Pitt.

I can't wait until Nurse scores the game 7OT goal to slay the dragon and get the Avs past Vegas in the western conference finals.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Clause AI tells me this based on 3M AAV:
No idea if it’s true or not.

Kulak was born January 6, 1994 , so he’s currently 32. Here’s how the NHL buyout formula would work on a hypothetical 8-year, $3M AAV contract bought out after year 4:

The Setup
• Contract signed: Summer 2026 (age 32)
• Buyout after year 4: Summer 2030 (age 36)
• Remaining years: 4 (years 5–8)
• Remaining salary owed: 4 × $3M = $12M

NHL Buyout Formula
Since Kulak would be over 35 at buyout time, the formula is:
1/3 of remaining contract value, paid over 2× the remaining years
• 1/3 × $12M = $4M total buyout cost
• Paid over 8 years (2 × 4 remaining)
• = $500K/year in cap hit for 8 years
The Avalanche would save the remaining $3M/year cap hit but carry $500K/year for 8 years through approximately 2038.

Now go convince Stan that he’s going to pay a guy for 4 years not to play and it’s the plan right from the beginning of the deal.

We will have a new practice arena before that happens.

 

[hockeyfish]

Clause AI tells me this based on 3M AAV:
No idea if it’s true or not.

Kulak was born January 6, 1994 , so he’s currently 32. Here’s how the NHL buyout formula would work on a hypothetical 8-year, $3M AAV contract bought out after year 4:

The Setup
• Contract signed: Summer 2026 (age 32)
• Buyout after year 4: Summer 2030 (age 36)
• Remaining years: 4 (years 5–8)
• Remaining salary owed: 4 × $3M = $12M

NHL Buyout Formula
Since Kulak would be over 35 at buyout time, the formula is:
1/3 of remaining contract value, paid over 2× the remaining years
• 1/3 × $12M = $4M total buyout cost
• Paid over 8 years (2 × 4 remaining)
• = $500K/year in cap hit for 8 years
The Avalanche would save the remaining $3M/year cap hit but carry $500K/year for 8 years through approximately 2038.

Holy f*** that is super wrong.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Holy f*** that is super wrong.

Impossible bro AI and the internet is always right.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Clause AI tells me this based on 3M AAV:
No idea if it’s true or not.

Kulak was born January 6, 1994 , so he’s currently 32. Here’s how the NHL buyout formula would work on a hypothetical 8-year, $3M AAV contract bought out after year 4:

The Setup
• Contract signed: Summer 2026 (age 32)
• Buyout after year 4: Summer 2030 (age 36)
• Remaining years: 4 (years 5–8)
• Remaining salary owed: 4 × $3M = $12M

NHL Buyout Formula
Since Kulak would be over 35 at buyout time, the formula is:
1/3 of remaining contract value, paid over 2× the remaining years
• 1/3 × $12M = $4M total buyout cost
• Paid over 8 years (2 × 4 remaining)
• = $500K/year in cap hit for 8 years
The Avalanche would save the remaining $3M/year cap hit but carry $500K/year for 8 years through approximately 2038.

Its 2/3 of the cap hit over double the years isn't it?

 

[shadow1]

 

[AvsWraith]

Can Trocheck run the Flying V?

 

[hockeyfish]

Briere once again buying low on a young guy who had a bad season following contract issues with the Ducks.

Smart GM.

I bet Tippett is going the other way.

think you might be confused.

 

[Balthazar]

think you might be confused.

I think I am indeed confused.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Balthazar]

McTavish for Lafreniere?

 

[shadow1]

Thought you took off, was trying to cover your shift.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

McTavish for Lafreniere?

I was wondering this too.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I think I am indeed confused.

Too late. You called Drury a smart GM

 

[Balthazar]

I was wondering this too.

Laffy likes to play a heavy, cycle game. I think he'd thrive in Anaheim.

 

[The Abusement Park]

A guy I think might shake loose is Kaiser out of Chicago. I know he isn’t 6 foot 20, but he’d fit well, and Chicago is pretty full of lefty D now that they have Bo.

I expect Sakic to be looking for guys who are blocked or buried and trying to snipe them.

Kaiser would make a lot of sense. Kleven is someone else that I could see shaking loose stuck behind Chabot/Sanderson. Maybe someone like Siegenthaler from NJ as well I could see being a target if he becomes surplus.

 

[hockeyfish]

McTavish for Lafreniere?

Maybe Gavrikov. Anaheim is kind of LA.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]