Rumor: 2024-2025 Trade Rumors and Free Agency - Offseason Edition

[RockLobster]

If the Avs can keep only 3 of Colton, Girard, Manson, Drouin and Lehky then who's leaving?

I don’t know man, that’s a tough question to answer. I’m glad I’m not CMac and have to make these decisions.

I don’t think Colton moves, despite the wishes of many here. They have been trying so long to fill the 3C void and they did. Now the player they got is average at the position, but he’s paid what an average 3rd liner is paid now. If we wanted a better one that would also cost more money that we don’t have space for.

We just have to accept that he’s here, and hope that part of it this season was growing pains with a new team.

All I know is that Ritchie should not be immediately thrust in to a C role in the NHL. If he makes the team, let him be a wing first and see the differences from what he’s used to, and only focus on the job a winger does. We need him to pan out in some form/fashion

 

[dahrougem2]

I don't get the "start Ritchie on the wing" stuff. I swear it feels like people think every newly drafted center can't possibly come into the NHL and play down the middle. Why? If he's a center, play him at center. If he can't cut it, then try him at wing but you don't start him on the wing just because he's a rookie.

Wyatt Johnston played almost his entire rookie season with Jamie Benn on his left and Evgenii Dadonov on his right. The template for the Avalanche is right there. Gabriel Landeskog on the left and Logan O'Connor on the right.

You can easily move on from Ross Colton.

 

[Avs_19]

I don't get the "start Ritchie on the wing" stuff. I swear it feels like people think every newly drafted center can't possibly come into the NHL and play down the middle. Why? If he's a center, play him at center. If he can't cut it, then try him at wing but you don't start him on the wing just because he's a rookie.

Wyatt Johnston played almost his entire rookie season with Jamie Benn on his left and Evgenii Dadonov on his right. The template for the Avalanche is right there. Gabriel Landeskog on the left and Logan O'Connor on the right.

You can easily move on from Ross Colton.

Blame @henchman21. He says it and then people parrot it. It's all his fault, as usual.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

If the Avs can keep only 3 of Colton, Girard, Manson, Drouin and Lehky then who's leaving?

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I have said it a few times now in the past and I still believe it to be true...

This team has a very hard time winning when both Landy and Nuke are out at the same time. Yeah they did well in Game 5 but overall they are about a .500 team without them. If Landy's comeback fails they will be without them next season and that really scares me.

If I am CMac my move this summer is to trade Mikko to get a Nuke-type player...a guy that forecheck hard, goes to the dirty areas and is good at screening the goalie. Hard to find though. Unfortunately with Nuke gone I foresee CMac will believe that it is one more reason to keep Mikko. That new contract will make us a top-heavy team and force Bednar to overplay his top guys again.

Blame @henchman21. He says it and then people parrot it. It's all his fault, as usual.

Yeah but being the contrarian that he is once everybody starts saying it he will start saying the opposite.

 

[lionsDen]

Benn and Seguin weren't anchors, though. Benn has been phenomenal these playoffs for them.

I don't disagree with you re: Rantanen but I just don't see this organization trading him.


If you can find me the last player to get traded after being NHL mandate suspended for 6 months, please let me know. Because I cannot recall any instance recently. Maybe Todd Bertuzzi?

It’s definitely an unusual situation. Teams trade for rentals all the time, which he either turns out to be a rental(short time) or he gets his shit in order. And if he does get his shit in order they have a great player. The only concern I’d have is he gets suspended a third playoff in a row.

 

[Avs_19]

Yeah but being the contrarian that he is once everybody starts saying it he will start saying the opposite.

Ha. I kid. He was right about Jost and Newhook and I always appreciate honest analysis.

 

[henchman21]

I don't get the "start Ritchie on the wing" stuff. I swear it feels like people think every newly drafted center can't possibly come into the NHL and play down the middle. Why? If he's a center, play him at center. If he can't cut it, then try him at wing but you don't start him on the wing just because he's a rookie.

Wyatt Johnston played almost his entire rookie season with Jamie Benn on his left and Evgenii Dadonov on his right. The template for the Avalanche is right there. Gabriel Landeskog on the left and Logan O'Connor on the right.

You can easily move on from Ross Colton.

On a team with Cup ambitions, you dont build around having these types at center to start. You have Johnston situation wrong… Ben was center for Johnston’s rookie year or most of it before they started spoon feeding some of the role. Even this year Ben still had a lot of the duties and Johnston spent a decent amount of time on the top line as a wing next to Hintz.

The issue with Ritchie is style. He’s not a bottom 6 style for the Avs or how Bednar wants to run it going back years and years. Expecting Ritchie to be a checking center is setting him up for failure.

 

[LOFIN]

It’s definitely an unusual situation. Teams trade for rentals all the time, which he either turns out to be a rental(short time) or he gets his shit in order. And if he does get his shit in order they have a great player. The only concern I’d have is he gets suspended a third playoff in a row.

Well, not all teams that could acquire him have to worry about that do they?

If the Avs players/organization don't want him back, and Nuke actually wants to come back and manages to stay clean, he will waive that NMC. Unconditionally.

 

[BobRossColton]

I don't get the "start Ritchie on the wing" stuff. I swear it feels like people think every newly drafted center can't possibly come into the NHL and play down the middle. Why? If he's a center, play him at center. If he can't cut it, then try him at wing but you don't start him on the wing just because he's a rookie.

Wyatt Johnston played almost his entire rookie season with Jamie Benn on his left and Evgenii Dadonov on his right. The template for the Avalanche is right there. Gabriel Landeskog on the left and Logan O'Connor on the right.

You can easily move on from Ross Colton.

I'll repeat, send Colton back to yzerman for Shai buium.

On a team with Cup ambitions, you dont build around having these types at center to start. You have Johnston situation wrong… Ben was center for Johnston’s rookie year or most of it before they started spoon feeding some of the role. Even this year Ben still had a lot of the duties and Johnston spent a decent amount of time on the top line as a wing next to Hintz.

The issue with Ritchie is style. He’s not a bottom 6 style for the Avs or how Bednar wants to run it going back years and years. Expecting Ritchie to be a checking center is setting him up for failure.

I think landeskog and LOC could easily teach him how to be a checking center, basically 200 ft game.

 

[henchman21]

I'll repeat, send Colton back to yzerman for Shai buium.


I think landeskog and LOC could easily teach him how to be a checking center, basically 200 ft game.

You shouldn’t force stylistic changes on talented players. It almost never ends well. It isn’t about defense… it is about style. Bednar likes pace and physicality in his bottom 6. North south hockey. Not skill and slow it down.

 

[Pokecheque]

Avs offseason should focus on these things in this order:

1. Find a way, ANY way, to infuse some more two-way talent in the lineup.

2. Look for any sort of players who can create a net-front presence and score ugly goals.

3. See if there is any way to improve the goaltending.

Bednar also needs to make some fundamental changes to the way he approaches some things, most notably the penalty kill. That literally destroyed their shot at home ice advantage in the playoffs and their Cup chances while in the playoffs.

 

[BobRossColton]

You shouldn’t force stylistic changes on talented players. It almost never ends well. It isn’t about defense… it is about style. Bednar likes pace and physicality in his bottom 6. North south hockey. Not skill and slow it down.

If Ritchie is willing to learn from Gabe and LOC, I'd still be all for it.

 

[henchman21]

If Ritchie is willing to learn from Gabe and LOC, I'd still be all for it.

If the point is to play a similar style to the bottom 6 now, it will hurt his development. Guys like him don’t really work as typical bottom 6 guys in the NHL. It leads to teams forcing them to earn it and they end up in 2 or 3 different orgs before they can seize and opportunity up the lineup.

Unless the Avs adopt a different style, Ritchie should be top 6 or bust next season.

 

[BobRossColton]

If the point is to play a similar style to the bottom 6 now, it will hurt his development. Guys like him don’t really work as typical bottom 6 guys in the NHL. It leads to teams forcing them to earn it and they end up in 2 or 3 different orgs before they can seize and opportunity up the lineup.

Unless the Avs adopt a different style, Ritchie should be top 6 or bust next season.

Well then ohl for another season, ahl till after mittelstadt

 

[lionsDen]

Well, not all teams that could acquire him have to worry about that do they?

If the Avs players/organization don't want him back, and Nuke actually wants to come back and manages to stay clean, he will waive that NMC. Unconditionally.

Yeah , I'm not sure what’s gonna happen. It’s gonna be interesting for those that like roster building. I just don’t think nuke has zero value. I don’t expect for him to remain an Av

 

[lionsDen]

Well then ohl for another season, ahl till after mittelstadt

I’d expect the Avs to give mittelstdat a long contract this summer. I’d expect Ritchie to play wing for the foreseeable future. As far as Ritchie in the nhl next season he’s gonna have to earn it in preseason.

 

[LOFIN]

Yeah , I'm not sure what’s gonna happen. It’s gonna be interesting for those that like roster building. I just don’t think nuke has zero value. I don’t expect for him to remain an Av

I don't expect us to get anything from him if we can trade him, but there would be teams interested. When Kane got released from Sharks, there were apparently like 20 teams interested, and one could argue he carried more baggage than Nuke. Obviously with Kane, it was on a short term deal. But with Nuke, it's either a great deal, or he's completely out of the league and the contract gets nullified if he relapses once again. That's how I see it.

Like why wouldn't a team like San Jose go after him? They are so far behind, and Nuke at 100% would be a good way to accelerate their rebuild with Cellebrini.

 

[henchman21]

I don't expect us to get anything from him if we can trade him, but there would be teams interested. When Kane got released from Sharks, there were apparently like 20 teams interested, and one could argue he carried more baggage than Nuke. Obviously with Kane, it was on a short term deal. But with Nuke, it's either a great deal, or he's completely out of the league and the contract gets nullified if he relapses once again. That's how I see it.

Like why wouldn't a team like San Jose go after him? They are so far behind, and Nuke at 100% would be a good way to accelerate their rebuild with Cellebrini.

Term is the reason. With Kane, 20 teams were after him because it was for one season. No risk. With Nuke there is a ton of risk. If shit goes sideways in a year, sure void… but still opportunity cost with the cap. That’s not the big one. It’s years 3-6. Get clean long enough you can’t get out of the contract.

 

[Balthazar]

Avs offseason should focus on these things in this order:

1. Find a way, ANY way, to infuse some more two-way talent in the lineup.

2. Look for any sort of players who can create a net-front presence and score ugly goals.

3. See if there is any way to improve the goaltending.

Bednar also needs to make some fundamental changes to the way he approaches some things, most notably the penalty kill. That literally destroyed their shot at home ice advantage in the playoffs and their Cup chances while in the playoffs.

The team isn't gonna improve anything, let alone at 3 spots.

We have to downgrade. Next year's lineup will be significantly worse than this year's.

 

[lionsDen]

Term is the reason. With Kane, 20 teams were after him because it was for one season. No risk. With Nuke there is a ton of risk. If shit goes sideways in a year, sure void… but still opportunity cost with the cap. That’s not the big one. It’s years 3-6. Get clean long enough you can’t get out of the contract.

So if he hits stage four he’s pretty much banned. Doesn’t that free up any cap concerns for the acquiring team?

He’s at least six months banned at the very least. The league very well could extend it and make it the whole year?

 

[henchman21]

So if he hits stage four he’s pretty much banned. Doesn’t that free up any cap concerns for the acquiring team?

He’s at least six months banned at the very least. The league very well could extend it and make it the whole year?

He won’t be at that stage for the entire contract. If he cleans up for 2 years then relapses, it likely starts all over. Which presents a large risk for a team to take on the contract.

We just know 6 months at minimum.

 

[LOFIN]

He won’t be at that stage for the entire contract. If he cleans up for 2 years then relapses, it likely starts all over. Which presents a large risk for a team to take on the contract.

On the human element side of it, if you are clean for over 2 years, probably a good bet that you will stay sober. Especially since we are apparently talking about painkillers and not party drugs.

There are teams desperate for talent in the NHL.

 

[Balthazar]

At the presser yesterday not only Bednar said that Landy wasn't close to come back, but didn't sound convinced that Landy will come back at all. I wasn't sure what to think of that...but today there's an article about it in the DP.

“I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that,” Bednar said of Gabe and Val. “You hate having that uncertainty because it makes it hard to plan … for management, for Chris and Joe (Sakic). …

“Those are obviously a couple of guys who have significant cap hits. I don’t know where that goes or (how) far this goes this summer. That’s a challenge. That’s a big challenge.”

Keeler: Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog is Colorado royalty. But Avs can’t afford to wait on him anymore

As long as Gabe Landeskog’s future and Valeri Nichushkin’s status with the Avalanche are murky, so are your parade plans. It’s that simple.

www.denverpost.com

 

[dahrougem2]

On a team with Cup ambitions, you dont build around having these types at center to start. You have Johnston situation wrong… Ben was center for Johnston’s rookie year or most of it before they started spoon feeding some of the role. Even this year Ben still had a lot of the duties and Johnston spent a decent amount of time on the top line as a wing next to Hintz.

The issue with Ritchie is style. He’s not a bottom 6 style for the Avs or how Bednar wants to run it going back years and years. Expecting Ritchie to be a checking center is setting him up for failure.

Again, though, you play him with Landeskog who is more than capable of doing what Benn did, probably even better than Benn. This team is planning for Landeskog to return so might as well game plan for that. If Landeskog can't play, well, we're f***ed next season anyways.

Bednar had a 3rd line of Newhook - Compher - Burakovsky at one point and was fine with it. I'm sure a player like Ritchie isn't going to drive him to the brink of insanity and demanding the kid be sent back to junior.

To me, having a Landeskog - Ritchie - LOC 3rd line and keeping Drouin is the far superior option to keeping Ross Colton and letting Drouin walk.