Definitely the club needs to find better depth. Mac and Mak will be great for many years. But need a much better supporting cast. Not too sure if trading for guys like Middlestadt is the right direction? The cost to acquire and then to extend is too much when considering how they perform in tough playoff hockey.
That is the massive challenge the Avs face.
Up front: Mack, Rant, Lek, Wood, Colten 5 guys total $32.85 mill
Backend: Makar, Manson, Toews, Girard 4 guys total $25.75 mill (up to $58.6 mill)
Goalies: Georgiev, Annu - $4.24 mill
11 players for just under $63 million. Thus cap space of $24.5 million
Landy is at $7 mill but unknown if he can return. He will give it a try but will the Avs know on July 1 if they should or should not bank on him returning. And he may return and be only a fraction of what he was before. Nuke would be $6.125 mill but he's a complete unknown in terms of whether the Avs should even budget his cap hit on the roster this season.
That would be $13 mill right there that the Avs will want to know if they have or do not have to spend come July 1. Is Nuke sitting the entire season? Mittlestadt needs a new deal and that will be a few million.
Avs have dealt a lot of draft picks and prospects over the past couple of years and future as well. Have just 1 draft pick in the first 3 rounds in these next 2 drafts. 2022 only had a 6th and 7th round pick.
In the short term, internal help seems unlikely given the prospect pool. Have to make their mark via pro scouting.
