Rumor: 2023 Trade Rumors and Free Agent Thread: Living in a Stagnant Pond Edition

[The Moops]

We spent MONTHS speculating for deadline ideas.

I said it before but to me deadline day was a lot more painful than today. Not even close.

It was a precursor that management doesn't give a f*** about repeating. Sign of things to come

 

[John Mandalorian]

This tweet is everything this summer needs to solve somehow

It's one thing to say the Avs are top heavy. But 7 games of nothing is a lot of nothing for people getting paid to play hockey, even if they're not great/good.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Soooo what will a 22nd overall pick land in a trade?

 

[The Moops]

Soooo what will a 22nd overall pick land in a trade?

Nah, I can't wait to draft NewNewJost and debate how shit he is for the next 6 years before he asks for a trade

 

[BaconNater]

We watched the Avs win the cup with an incredible 2nd line and good depth, so this year the Avs tried no 2nd line and crappy depth.. dang it almost worked!

 

[Cousin Eddie]

We spent MONTHS speculating for deadline ideas.

I said it before but to me deadline day was a lot more painful than today. Not even close.

I agree with this. I was optimistic all year that the Avs could repeat but it was because of the assumption that Landy would be back and there were going to add ROR or somebody at the deadline. When the deadline passed it was the first time I stopped believing a repeat was in the works. I’m not upset today because I never really believed anything good would happen since the deadline anyway.

 

[The Moops]

Glad we overpaid for Lars to score 2 goals for us. Such a galaxy brain move. Incredible that we had 12+ million in LTIR and we paid a 2nd for a retained Eller.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I’m not upset today because I never really believed anything good would happen since the deadline anyway.

Yep.


Since March 3rd I've been completely numb to this season. Just waiting for it to end so we can either see some meaningful change in the summer or watch it slip away for good.

 

[BaconNater]

Omg imagine logging into the boards in a few weeks and you see the thread confirmed with link Avs re sign JTC

 

[Alienblood]

This will be the biggest off season in recent yesrs. It could somewhat save or kill this team for years to come

Trade Makar and replenish

 

[The Moops]

Omg imagine logging into the boards in a few weeks and you see the thread confirmed with link Avs re sign JTC

Oh I'm expecting big contracts to JTC and Newhook and then watch they ship out Byram+ for some garbage bottom 6er so they can claim they solved the depth

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Omg imagine logging into the boards in a few weeks and you see the thread confirmed with link Avs re sign JTC

I feel comfortable in saying I was one of JTCs biggest supporters here....


If the Avs re-sign him(Especially considering he's getting $5M+), I'm out until this management group is canned lol.

 

[Balthazar]

Trade Makar and replenish

Build the retool around Mack, Rants, Makar, Byram and Lehky.

Move Landy to LTIR permanently.

If legally possible, find a way out of Nuke's contract (unless he can be mentally and physically healthy for day 1 of training camp).

Move Girard and Toews this summer

 

[TruePowerSlave]

A disaster 1st season for McFarland. We will see if he learns anything or will next year be full of questionable decisions. Sakic started out very poorly as well, however the Avs were mostly crap so he had the luxury to figure things out.

 

[forsbergavs32]

Need a retool for sure. Let JTC, Eller, ERod, Helm walk, find someone to take Newhook, I'd be ok with JJ and EJ back on cheap 1 year vet deals.

Lehk - Mack - Mikko
Lando* - xxxxxx - Nuke
xxxxxx - xxxxxx - Malgin
xxxxxx - xxxxxx - LOC

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Girard - *******

Georgiev
Franouz

* Bring in someone with that LTIR money if Lando still can't play

Lot of work to do this offseason. Let's see what lessons CMac and Sakic learned from this year.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Love Bednar's comments in the postgame presser at least...


Talking about how the core guys are all signed long term he said "Hopefully we can surround those guys with the right mix of players"


He's gotta be f***ing pissed with CMac and management for the absolute dog shit depth they gave him this year.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Lehk - Mack - Mikko
Lando* - xxxxxx - Nuke
xxxxxx - xxxxxx - Malgin
xxxxxx - xxxxxx - LOC

Malgin sucks. They better not re-sign the guy.

 

[BaconNater]

CMac will probably fire Bednar for insubordination and try to blame the loss on him

I stand by my statement of if CMac makes HFavs have to sit through Oiler fans talking shit then he should have to make an account and deal with them

 

[Alienblood]

Malgin sucks. They better not re-sign the guy.

He's garbage

 

[Balthazar]

 

[dahrougem2]

He's obviously not going to call those guys out ala Rick Bowness.

However, I think if you put a gun to MacKinnon's head to reveal his true thoughts about the bottom six he'd tell you he wants them all off the f***ing team.

 

[lidstromiscool]

So many disappointing performances this series. Newhook couldn't piss a drop, Girard is too slow/small/weak to be effective in a tight checking series, JJ and EJ simply aren't NHL calibre players anymore. Neither is Meyers. Compher, some team will way overpay for him. He had a whole year and playoffs to prove himself as a 2C, mission unaccomplished. Roster right now looks like this I'd assume:

X - Mackinnon - Rantanen
Landeskog - X - X (Nichuskin but who knows his status)
Lehkonen - X - LOC
X - X - X

Makar - Toews
Byram - Manson
X - X

Goalies

12.5 mil in Cap Space -

Should've moved Newhook at the deadline, guessing he has low value so might as well hang onto him for now. He'll be 3C, hopefully he takes a big jump, I'm skeptical. 2 years 2 mil.

3rd line LW, I'd sign someone like Gustav Nyquist, he drives play and was one of the Wild's best players these playoffs. Can play up in the lineup and help PP2. 1 year 3.5 mil

I'd also sign another forward for depth. After the injuries and everything this season, its easy to see we need more depth. Some cheap options would be:
Athanasiou, Drouin, Sheary

4th line will be some combination of Meyers/LOC/insert another 4th liner. At 4C, I'd try to re-sign Eller, but Bjugstad wouldn't be a bad pickup either. Both would be around 2 mil im assuming.

So with 2ish mil in cap space the lineup would be:

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - X - Nichuskin
Nyquist - Newhook - Athanasiou
Meyers - Eller/Bjugstad - LOC

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Girard - X

At this point, you could ride with Newhook as 2C and see how it goes. I would trade one of Girard or Byram for a 2C. Probably Girard for me. Both would hurt, but Girard is limited in the playoffs, and Byram taking another step would make him redundant on the 3rd pair. Girard + 2023 1st could get you a 2C. Scheifele or Lindholm would be a dream scenario, not sure if those teams would move on from them but who knows. Some names will pop up and be available. Toss in Newhook if you need to get it done. Can't waste prime 8/29/96 years. Nuke might be done, take his 6 mil and sign another depth F/D, I still like this roster.

So my final lineup would be:

Landeskog - Mackinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Scheifele - Nichuskin
Nyquist - Newhook - Athanasiou
Meyers - Eller/Bjugstad - LOC

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
X - X

Goalies

 

[dahrougem2]

Anyways, here's what I THINK the Avs will look like this Summer with things penciled in:

XXX - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - XXX - Nichushkin
XXX - XXX - XXX
XXX - Foudy - O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Girard/Byram - Manson
XXX - Malinski

Scratches: Hunt, MacDermid

Georgiev
Francouz

If Landeskog is on LTIR that leaves them with just over 18M to sign 7 skaters, including a few impact forwards. It's just not feasible. Somebody from the back end NEEDS to go.

As for predictions, if there's one I am 100% certain is happening it's Jonathan Drouin arriving to play alongside Nathan MacKinnon on a cheap contract.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[John Mandalorian]

We watched the Avs win the cup with an incredible 2nd line and good depth, so this year the Avs tried no 2nd line and crappy depth.. dang it almost worked!

Guys got paid. And then guys got injured. The team didn't have a carte blanche to address problems. They could have done more, however. At tge very least, that debate won't end any time soon.