Easy to tell it's March. Everybody complaining about the Avs not signing college FA's even though the only two that turned into anything decent since Bozak was Kevin Hayes and Dekeyser who the Avs apparently actually came close to landing.
I understand they're free assets but it's pretty annoying to see fans complaining every year about the Avs not signing 23/24 year olds who are good at the NCAA level.
Easy to tell it's March. Everybody complaining about the Avs not signing college FA's even though the only two that turned into anything decent since Bozak was Kevin Hayes and Dekeyser who the Avs apparently actually came close to landing.
I understand they're free assets but it's pretty annoying to see fans complaining every year about the Avs not signing 23/24 year olds who are good at the NCAA level.
Krug, Tanev, DeKeyser, Vesey looks decent...not sure if I count Schultz but he's turned it around in the ideal situation. It's worth taking a shot at them.
In any given particular year? Probably not a big deal. But add it all up over the last 5 years and yeah, it frustrates me. A low frustration compared to other areas sure but its worth pointing out.
To say this team couldn't have benefited from a Matt Benning or Troy Stetcher addition on the blue line or the addition of a Drake Caggiula or Brandon Tanev up front when we are trotting out the trash we do seems a bit rich. That's just guys from last summer. There are a whole lot more contributing NHL players out there for much better teams than us picked up for the cost of an entry level contract in the last 7 or 8 years than just Kevin Hayes and DeKeyser.
I don't see much of a reason for college free agents to sign here right now. It's not like the Avs can offer more money and there's probably just as much of an opportunity to move up quickly on some other teams. Every team is going younger and looking to add more cheap talent to their roster. Also, the Rampage might even be more of a mess than the Avs so that can't be too appealing.
How is Crouse worth more than a second? Just based on the trade that happened between Florida and Arizona (Bolland, Crouse, first for a second and third) that was a year ago so unless Florida just undervalued Crouse significantly or really really wanted to get out of Bolland, but honestly just based on the trade I would think that a first and Bolland and a third coming back is one side of the trade where the second for Crouse was the second part, but maybe I'm way off. Either way I dont think Churychn and a first for Duchene is any more ridiculous than some of the other trades Sakic has been said to have asked for.
If the Avs wanted to, they could make a very appealing offer for College FAs. There should be lots of roster turnover, and we have a lot of crap players right now. They could offer them an immediate spot on the roster, in a role where they could show some good stuff (I mean for crying out loud, Bednar's got Dutch on the 4th essentially). It burns a year off their contract, and they can solidify their role for next season as well.
What will happen is that the Avs will not guarantee NHL ice time, cause you gotta 'spect the vets y'know?!
Yeah we could make appealing offers, but that doesn't mean they have to take them. College UFAs are a crapshoot because they can literally choose whatever they want.
For example take a guy like Reese, he is from New York played college out east, chances are an opportunity to play on a team in the East is way more important than getting a roster spot this season. All a team like say the Rangers has to do is say you'll be in the lineup come next season, and it probably trumps our offer of starting the year and burning a ELC year.
St. Lawrence graduating senior defenceman Gavin Bayreuther is sorting through his options before signing in the next day or two. Buffalo, Dallas, New Jersey and Colorado are among the teams with high levels of interest in Bayreuther.
http://www.tsn.ca/the-nhl-s-college-signing-season-begins-1.695343
I have no clue who this is but just offer him Goloubef's spot right now.
I personally like the idea of going after UFA's from overseas far more. Names like Panarin and Zaitsev are far more impactful than Bozak and Dekeyser. Even shooting low and going for guys like Martinsen and Everberg are better signings than most NCAA UFA's