Friedman: Avs are not done yet: looking at forwards

[Ncit3]

Lehkonen, Drouin, Kotkaniemi...
Avs are trying to assemble the 2020-2021 Habs Stanley Cup Final run
We can trade you a Armia, a Gallagher or a Anderson, if you are collecting them all

You know it’s Drury in the trade and not Kotkaniemi, right?

 

[flyfysher]

You know it’s Drury in the trade and not Kotkaniemi, right?

The Avs SC proved to me that you must have 3.5-4 full lines to win. IOW, depth. I hope and think Drury will play a key role.

 

[Perratrooper]

Gotta think with the young centers Colorado has targeted for the 3C hole (Parssinen, Drury) that Colorado is very open to moving Ritchie.

The question becomes, does Mitts+Ritchie+2026 first interest any teams to provide a higher caliber center

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Gotta think with the young centers Colorado has targeted for the 3C hole (Parssinen, Drury) that Colorado is very open to moving Ritchie.

The question becomes, does Mitts+Ritchie+2026 first interest any teams to provide a higher caliber center

I’ve been saying:

Mitts+Ritchie

Kadri+ Andersson

makes a lot of sense for both teams. But the Flames never make moves that are short term losses.

 

[syz]

I’ve been saying:

Mitts+Ritchie

Kadri+ Andersson

makes a lot of sense for both teams. But the Flames never make moves that are short term losses.

Probably especially unlikely for the Flames to do it in a year where a short term loss could cost them a playoff spot.

 

[benfranklin]

The Avs SC proved to me that you must have 3.5-4 full lines to win. IOW, depth. I hope and think Drury will play a key role.

That Avs team would have beaten 99% of teams going back to the 1985 Oilers. That is how good they were. It sure helps, but that very well may be the best team most of us see in our lifetimes. Tough to say, every team needs to be that to win.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Gotta think with the young centers Colorado has targeted for the 3C hole (Parssinen, Drury) that Colorado is very open to moving Ritchie.

The question becomes, does Mitts+Ritchie+2026 first interest any teams to provide a higher caliber center

I'm not sure I follow your thinking here. How does acquiring a couple of depth Cs suggest the Avs are very open to moving Ritchie? To me, Ritchie is a future top 6er, something neither Drury nor Parssinen will likely ever be.

 

[Glorydays22]

What? Avs should be focusing on getting a goalie. Forwards are by far their strongest area. This does not make any sense.

Colorado needs to focus on getting some defense....that group is bad.

Isles are not a match for Colorado if you are looking at Nelson.
We want NO PART of Middlestadt and you guys aren't moving Ritchie...so we are out of your conversation.

 

[Mac Attack]

Colorado needs to focus on getting some defense....that group is bad.

Isles are not a match for Colorado if you are looking at Nelson.
We want NO PART of Middlestadt and you guys aren't moving Ritchie...so we are out of your conversation.

The defense is fine. Our goals against since Blackwood is very low. We've had a major scoring rut though

 

[MNRube]

Avs are in an interesting spot. If Landeskog comes back and Nichuskin is able to stick around, they likely are still contending for the next 5 years.

I’m higher on Gulyayev than Ritchie. I’d likely try to package two of Mittledtadt, Ritchie and Girard for another DFD or a 2C.

 

[Perratrooper]

I'm not sure I follow your thinking here. How does acquiring a couple of depth Cs suggest the Avs are very open to moving Ritchie? To me, Ritchie is a future top 6er, something neither Drury nor Parssinen will likely ever be.

My logic is that we’ve effectively shored up our center depth with youngish options for the bottom 6 Drury(24) and Parsinnen(23) which seals off from slow burning Ritchie at center. We have a glaring hole at 2C that Ritchie won’t be able to fill in the near term. By trading Ritchie and Mitts to fill the hole at 2C we address our biggest concern

 

[japhi27returns]

It’s not Necas. Every part of his game screams winger. The only reason it would be a consideration is because the player wants it. Carolina is not a stupid team, has had potential openings at centre and never went to him for a reason.

Was going say, CAR could use another C and if Necas couldn’t beat out Staal and KK, it ain’t happening.

 

[dirtydanglez]

Lehkonen, Drouin, Kotkaniemi...
Avs are trying to assemble the 2020-2021 Habs Stanley Cup Final run
We can trade you a Armia, a Gallagher or a Anderson, if you are collecting them all

kk wasn't part of the trade.

 

[Muffinalt]

Posted it in the other thread, but:

Miller for Mittlestadt, Drury, multiple non-1st round picks

VAN can then make follow-up moves. They may keep Mittlestadt and/or Drury, they might move one or both for an upgrade at C or D.

Avs end up with these lines:

Drouin-MacK-Necas
Lehk-Miller-Nichushkin (eventually)
Wood-Colton-O'Connor
Kelly-Parssinen-Kiviranta

Then turn around and do Manson + Ritchie for a heavily retained Seth Jones.

That would some deadline.

 

[thefutures]

Maybe avalanche are in on bennet this summer

 

[Muffinalt]

So Avs fans do I understand it correctly?

After the trade you guys have 5.6M cap space, with Wood (2.5M) on LTIR, but 14 forwards and 8 d, according to capwages?

Let's say you active Wood, send down Innala, Wagner and de Haan to get to 13f, 7d (sorry if I'm out on touch with who likely stays, correct me if needed) - that is also funnily enough 5.6M space.

Would that be for Landeskog coming back before POs? I assume not right, so that means you can still make some nice trades with that space, yes even multiple.

Or would that money be needed for the off-season? What's the plan?

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

My logic is that we’ve effectively shored up our center depth with youngish options for the bottom 6 Drury(24) and Parsinnen(23) which seals off from slow burning Ritchie at center. We have a glaring hole at 2C that Ritchie won’t be able to fill in the near term. By trading Ritchie and Mitts to fill the hole at 2C we address our biggest concern

And my logic is that Ritchie was seen as a possible top 10 pick who dropped because of a shoulder injury, and projects to be a solid 2C at the NHL level. I agree he probably won't be the 2C in the next couple years, but unless they're getting EP40 or something crazy, I'd still rather keep him for the long term potential. At the very least, the Avs should use an ELC year before trading him.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

So Avs fans do I understand it correctly?

After the trade you guys have 5.6M cap space, with Wood (2.5M) on LTIR, but 13 forwards and 8 d, according to capwages?

Let's say you active Wood, send down Innala, Wagner and de Haan to get to 13f, 7d (sorry if I'm out on touch with who likely stays, correct me if needed) - that is also funnily enough 5.6M space.

Would that be for Landeskog coming back before POs? I assume not right, so that means you can still make some nice trades with that space, yes even multiple.

Or would that money be needed for the off-season? What's the plan?

Maybe.

 

[Gnome17]

Trading Rantanen could be something that breaks the team. Mackinnon saying it was shocking, that he never ever thought Rantanen would leave the team and that it sucks. Feeling betrayed perhaps. Could absolutely destroy that locker room.

 

[shadow1]

So Avs fans do I understand it correctly?

After the trade you guys have 5.6M cap space, with Wood (2.5M) on LTIR, but 13 forwards and 8 d, according to capwages?

Let's say you active Wood, send down Innala, Wagner and de Haan to get to 13f, 7d (sorry if I'm out on touch with who likely stays, correct me if needed) - that is also funnily enough 5.6M space.

Would that be for Landeskog coming back before POs? I assume not right, so that means you can still make some nice trades with that space, yes even multiple.

Or would that money be needed for the off-season? What's the plan?

Landeskog is completely unknown, it's almost impossible for the team to plan around him.

Most likely, the club will use any savings from this trade to upgrade the roster. The team's third-pairing defense is really weak, and Mittelstadt has really struggled as the 2C. I think those will be the areas Colorado will look to upgrade. It won't be easy, but they made 8 trades last season and 5 already this year.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I’ve been saying:

Mitts+Ritchie

Kadri+ Andersson

makes a lot of sense for both teams. But the Flames never make moves that are short term losses.

I suggested this very trade a few weeks back and Avs fans are also on board.

Sounds like the hard part is done. Two hf fan bases agree. How do we get it from here to central registry?

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

So Avs fans do I understand it correctly?

After the trade you guys have 5.6M cap space, with Wood (2.5M) on LTIR, but 13 forwards and 8 d, according to capwages?

Let's say you active Wood, send down Innala, Wagner and de Haan to get to 13f, 7d (sorry if I'm out on touch with who likely stays, correct me if needed) - that is also funnily enough 5.6M space.

Would that be for Landeskog coming back before POs? I assume not right, so that means you can still make some nice trades with that space, yes even multiple.

Or would that money be needed for the off-season? What's the plan?

If you asked this yesterday morning, I think most Avs fans would have said the plan was to extend Rantanen. At this point, your guess is probably as good as ours.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

It’s crazy that not a single media person has even mentioned the Avs and JT Miller in the same sentence.

All media members are describing the Avs looking for that centre upgrade. All those same media members are talking about how Vancouver is trading Miller. Not one has even sniffed at connecting the two either factually or even just as a hypothetical fit.

I wonder if maybe it’s known that Colorado is a team JTM wouldn’t even consider waiving for.

 

[Muffinalt]

So Avs fans do I understand it correctly?

After the trade you guys have 5.6M cap space, with Wood (2.5M) on LTIR, but 13 forwards and 8 d, according to capwages?

Let's say you active Wood, send down Innala, Wagner and de Haan to get to 13f, 7d (sorry if I'm out on touch with who likely stays, correct me if needed) - that is also funnily enough 5.6M space.

Would that be for Landeskog coming back before POs? I assume not right, so that means you can still make some nice trades with that space, yes even multiple.

Or would that money be needed for the off-season? What's the plan?

IF the above is correct, I could see something like this:



- JT Miller (8M)
- Seth Jones @75% (7.1M)

Cap change: +3M, leaving 2.6 total space.



- Casey Mittelstadt (5.75M)
- Josh Manson (4.5M)
- Colorado '26 1st
- New York '25 2nd
- Carolina '26 4th (coz Avs have no 3rds)

Cap change: +0.75M


- Vinny Desharnais (2M)
- Jack Drury (1.75M)
- Calum Ritchie

Cap change: we get rid of a ton, but honeslty don't care either way. Any amount of salary back would be if needed like Colton, Wood, Kylington, whatever.


I don't know how realistic this is, but could be really fun. I think it serves all three teams' needs, but maybe Vancouver would need some more win now pieces (or Gulyayev?) added.

 

[bleuetbio]

Back to the same patern to search for a 2nd center. This is the need. Nelson seems logic but I expect plenty of fish around this.