Friedman: Avs are not done yet: looking at forwards

[Boxscore]

Marner is a better player in a vacuum. But they need quality depth, not star power.

I'm a Leafs fan, and I promise you that Marner is not a better player than Rantanen. But, I do agree with you that the Avs best play is likely to add a few quality depth pieces over another star... especially if Necas continues to look like a legit 80-85 point player.

 

[Avsfan1921]

I'm a Leafs fan, and I promise you that Marner is not a better player than Rantanen. But, I do agree with you that the Avs best play is likely to add a few quality depth pieces over another star... especially if Necas continues to look like a legit 80-85 point player.

I disagree. IMO, Marner is better at creating offence on his own and gives more effort on the defensive side. But we can agree to disagree, it’s not a hill I’m willing to die on.

 

[Boxscore]

I disagree. IMO, Marner is better at creating offence on his own and gives more effort on the defensive side. But we can agree to disagree, it’s not a hill I’m willing to die on.

Marner is a better playmaker... 100%. But Rantanen is a significantly better goal scorer... bigger... stronger... harder to handle... and he shows up in the playoffs. Marner is a talented little fellow but he's soft as Kleenex and folds in the playoffs. If it's a random Tuesday in December, sure, Marner may outshine Rantanen for a night. But if the game actually means something, give me Rantanen 100x out of 100.

Marner owes many Leafs fans a liver. Come playoffs, watching him play is like drinking a gallon of rubbing alcohol.

 

[kris]

Cros is certainly playing like he wants to be traded

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Totally different era of hockey.
Boston also was more than happy to do it because they knew he wanted to win a cup before he retired.

Bourque never really took expensive long deals either. He was just a very unique player.

 

[Gillings]

Why is it, that after a big trade or big signings by a team, does this dude come out and say “they aren’t done yet”?

 

[JKG33]

Marner is a better playmaker... 100%. But Rantanen is a significantly better goal scorer... bigger... stronger... harder to handle... and he shows up in the playoffs. Marner is a talented little fellow but he's soft as Kleenex and folds in the playoffs. If it's a random Tuesday in December, sure, Marner may outshine Rantanen for a night. But if the game actually means something, give me Rantanen 100x out of 100.

Marner owes many Leafs fans a liver. Come playoffs, watching him play is like drinking a gallon of rubbing alcohol.

I couldn't have said it better.

Trading away Rantanen, just to turn around and burn assets (and cap space) on Marner seems like a great way to speed run getting fired.. and then get hired by the Penguins

 

[The Merchant]

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.

Ironically, these two games without Mikko have been the best they've looked in weeks.

 

[The Merchant]

Found the segment. Listen from the 4:50 mark. He is saying this trade is a sign the Avs won't be comfortable using all their cap as it goes up or did I misunderstand that? Like another poster said could be cause of LTIR uncertainty but it could also be kroenke, he cheaped out last couple years on the nuggets too.

lol what? The Nuggets just handed out max contracts to Murray, Jokic and MPJ. And it's been well-established that Sakic has been given the green light to spend to the cap (which they have done) during their window. I think people are misconstruing EF. MacFarland simply wants more breathing room to work with. Being so cap-strapped the last couple years has significantly hindered their ability to build around their core.

 

[thadd]

Bourque never really took expensive long deals either. He was just a very unique player.

2nd most shots on net in NHL history all the while providing great defence.

 

[StewieP19]

To me Colorado want to go all in this year. So don't be surprise if #1 round pick in 2027 and all 2nd round + ritchie and maybe Mittlestadt can be include in a trade
Colorado need to fix : a #2C and a #3 or 4 D

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Cmac has shown that he usually goes for players with term, or at least knows the ballpark asking price for potential re-signing, which I’m very grateful for.

My personal hope is more for top 4 d help than another top 6 f. Would love to add both obviously but they need to know players down the depth chart on d, badly.

Well Rakell and Petts could be had.

Petts top 4 LD. I hold firm he's a top 90 D in the league. We'd retain half for a 2 million dollar cap hit for this year.

Rakell does have 3 years left at 5 million. Plays both wing slots.
Playing with Crosby he's at 22 goals in 51 games which is a 35 goal pace. He's paced at 56 points since we have acquired him 3 years ago.

Maybe a deal where we get futures and Mittelstadt on or send him to another team like Chicago could work.


Just spit balling here.

 

[S E P H]

lol what? The Nuggets just handed out max contracts to Murray, Jokic and MPJ. And it's been well-established that Sakic has been given the green light to spend to the cap (which they have done) during their window. I think people are misconstruing EF. MacFarland simply wants more breathing room to work with. Being so cap-strapped the last couple years has significantly hindered their ability to build around their core.

Yeah, Friedman mixed up his words and was probably thinking of Avs "internal MacKinnon" cap instead of not spending to the cap literally.

 

[Habs Halifax]

No shit, the minute that Rantanen trade was announced, you can smell this from a mile away. Avs are not done adding and have created some cap space

To me Colorado want to go all in this year. So don't be surprise if #1 round pick in 2027 and all 2nd round + ritchie and maybe Mittlestadt can be include in a trade
Colorado need to fix : a #2C and a #3 or 4 D

I think they are prepared to make moves but if they do trade futures, they are looking for more than a one playoff solution.

 

[John Mandalorian]

Well Rakell and Petts could be had.

Petts top 4 LD. I hold firm he's a top 90 D in the league. We'd retain half for a 2 million dollar cap hit for this year.

Rakell does have 3 years left at 5 million. Plays both wing slots.
Playing with Crosby he's at 22 goals in 51 games which is a 35 goal pace. He's paced at 56 points since we have acquired him 3 years ago.

Maybe a deal where we get futures and Mittelstadt on or send him to another team like Chicago could work.


Just spit balling here.

Why would the Avs do that to still need a 2C?

 

[Avsfan1921]

Well Rakell and Petts could be had.

Petts top 4 LD. I hold firm he's a top 90 D in the league. We'd retain half for a 2 million dollar cap hit for this year.

Rakell does have 3 years left at 5 million. Plays both wing slots.
Playing with Crosby he's at 22 goals in 51 games which is a 35 goal pace. He's paced at 56 points since we have acquired him 3 years ago.

Maybe a deal where we get futures and Mittelstadt on or send him to another team like Chicago could work.


Just spit balling here.

If they’re responsible players with a good motor, I’m all for it. Personally, I’m not ready to give up on Mittlestadt yet but I’m definitely in the minority of Avs fans on that one.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

If they’re responsible players with a good motor, I’m all for it. Personally, I’m not ready to give up on Mittlestadt yet but I’m definitely in the minority of Avs fans on that one.

Just trying to make cap hits work.

Petts is 4 million so 2 million 50% retained.
Very responsible our best defender in the D Zone.
I'd say hed be looking at 6+ million on a long term deal. He is that good.

Rakell is 5 million

I'd say he's a winger that defense is not his strong suit.

 

[Jacked Daniel]

Necas is going to get every opportunity to be that missing 2C. They may not do it the first game or two, just to get his feet wet, but he’s been pretty open about wanting to play C and now he’s been traded to a team with that opening.

I get that, its like having two Mackinnons 1C and 2C the other one being Mack jr. a real nightmare for opponent teams if and when we get lines to click. Maybe try Mittlestadt as winger or trade him.
Drouin Mack Nichuskin
Lehkonen Necas top6winger (Granlund? Giroux? Teräväinen? Batherson?)

 

[Richard88]

Maybe avalanche are in on bennet this summer

The most expensive UFA CMac/Sakic have signed in recent years was Donskoi $3.9mx4. The UFA market is one they typically avoid, as they clearly have a preference for trading for RFA's who they can get more prime years out of without paying UFA prices (eg. Burakovsky, Grubauer, Georgiev, Toews, Mittelstadt, Lehkonen, etc). As such it would be a surprise to see them swing big in free agency for someone as coveted as Bennett will be.

 

[Richard88]

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.

Colorado aren't trading Manson or Drury who they literally just acquired and is a perfect fit stylistically. Manson also owns a m-NTC which may rule out Vancouver.

 

[Richard88]

To be fair if the Wings wanted to retain some salary on JTC I wouldn't be against brining him back. He knows our system well, and was a solid contributor for us for a while. Though I guess you also have to wonder if age is starting to creep into the equation with him.


I'm probably in the minority on that from Avs fans though, for whatever reason a lot of our fans didn't appreciate what Compher brought to our middle 6 for a number of years.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he consistently had among the worst possession metrics on the team, regardless of who his linemates were; sucked on the PK; and wasn't really an ideal C given his poor faceoff numbers. His performance was much improved in his last season though admittedly, but that was a contract year of course like when he got his first contract.

 

[Richard88]

That's why I low-key love the addition of Necas and Drury. They also have some capital to shop for another top 6 forward at the TDL. These days a 2nd and a 4th can get you a pretty decent winger.

If I'm Sakic, I'm asking Dubas pretty hard about Rakell. Performance, position, and contract (both term and hit) makes him a very good addition IMO. And if not Rakell, someone like him - a top 6 RW that can score who had a year or two of term left. I'm not sure selling limited futures for a rental is the best route.

If the Avs go that route they'd probably be more interested in Bjorkstrand. Good forechecker and known to the org (i.e. CMac/Bednar from the Columbus days). He's also more shoot-first which the Avs need given the makeup of their other forwards who are mostly pass-first types (Necas, Mackinnon, Mittelstadt, Drouin).

 

[SEALBound]

If the Avs go that route they'd probably be more interested in Bjorkstrand. Good forechecker and known to the org (i.e. CMac/Bednar from the Columbus days). He's also more shoot-first which the Avs need given the makeup of their other forwards who are mostly pass-first types (Necas, Mackinnon, Mittelstadt, Drouin).

That would be a hell of an add.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

The most expensive UFA CMac/Sakic have signed in recent years was Donskoi $3.9mx4. The UFA market is one they typically avoid, as they clearly have a preference for trading for RFA's who they can get more prime years out of without paying UFA prices (eg. Burakovsky, Grubauer, Georgiev, Toews, Mittelstadt, Lehkonen, etc). As such it would be a surprise to see them swing big in free agency for someone as coveted as Bennett will be.

When the goal is to find someone who is good, young and cheap(ish), the UFA market generally isn't a great place to go looking. Best case, you can find some decent veteran depth that isn't stupidly expensive. Worst case, you're overpaying a guy until he's almost 40.