Can an Avs fan explain to me how they will be cap compliant (assuming Landy and Nichushkin come back)?
Not sure. It all depends on if Landeskog (7m) is healthy enough to play after missing 2 years and/or if Nichushkin (4.9m pro-rated upon Nov. 15 possible return) applies to be reinstated in the NHL.
22-man roster, $79.00875m caphit
Drouin - Mackinnon - Lehkonen
??? - Mittelstadt - Rantanen
Wood - Colton - O'Connor
Kiviranta - Wagner - Kovalenko
Kelly
Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Kylington - Brannstrom
de Haan - Malinski
Georgiev
Annunen
How you fill in the ??? with neither, just 1, or both Landy/Nuke, there's so many ways it can go.
IMO, Landy doesn't play sadly, and Nuke comes back. Avs hope he stays clean, and trade him next summer when his NMC changes to a 12-team NTC.
The conspiracy theorist in me says both won't play, and the Avs will trade for Laine, whom they have just enough capspace to accommodate.