In this series, Heavy Sports is looking at what every NHL team has done over the offseason. Next up is the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche had another strong season this past year as they finished first in the league standings, which gave them the President’s trophy. However, they came up short in the postseason as they were swept in the western conference finals by the Vegas Golden Knights. Colorado is looking to bounce back with a squad that should be back in the playoffs next season. They will have new leadership in hockey operations this year as former general manager Chris McFarland left for the Nashville Predators. Franchise legend Joe Sakic takes over once again in that role.
Who are Colorado’s Additions?
Key additions: Adam Beckman, Domenick Fensore, Vinnie Hinostroza, Noah Juulsen, Zachary L’Heureux, Fabian Lysell, Jaden Schwartz, Fedor Svechkov, Christian Wolanin
Most of Colorado’s additions are depth pieces and minor league players. The most notable add-on is forward Jaden Schwartz, formerly of the Seattle Kraken. Schwartz has been a solid secondary contributor throughout his 15 year NHL tenure. He’ll provide support to the bottom of the Avalanche lineup after this group lost a good chunk of key players this summer as a result of their salary cap constraints. Veteran defensemen Brett Kulak and Brent Burns were both extended by the team. There are still some more big ticket extensions on the horizon for this club, especially in regards to top defenseman Cale Makar whose current deal comes to and end in 2027. That contract will be a massive one for Makar, as he command a hefty number in this climate of rising cap room.
Who are Colorado’s Subtractions?
Key subtractions: Jack Ahcan, Zakhar Bardakov, Alex Barre-Boulet, Nick Blankenburg, Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Ivan Ivan, Joel Kiviranta, Valeri Nichushkin, Jason Polin, T.J Tynan
The Avalanche lost some important players this offseason. The biggest loss is forward Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a dynamic part of Colorado’s offense throughout his seven year stint with the franchise. That will be a tough hole to fill; the hope is that their recent acquisitions, such as Nazem Kadri at the trade deadline, will be able to make up for that void. Forwards Ross Colton and Jack Drury are on the move as well, having both been traded to Nashville.
Despite the losses they have suffered, this should still be a team that performs among the league’s best. The main core is still intact; few teams can rival their top unit. The full-time return of captain Gabriel Landeskog has been a huge morale boast for this team. Not to mention, as long as their star Nathan MacKinnon is performing the way he consistently has, this team will be in good shape. The Avalanche will look to keep their status as leaders in the vaunted central division that remains elite. They will aim to make a deeper postseason run in their hopes of keeping a Stanley Cup contention window open for years to come.
All transactions are available via Puck Pedia.
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