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

[chet1926]

If Landy isn't ready for training camp I hope he does what's best for his team and LTIRetire. That's enough now. This team needs a captain and management can't stay in constant limbo about his cap hit possibly kicking in at any time.

Ideally we'd need a solid yes/no answer from Landeskog before the draft so CMac can build the team properly for next year.

If he can't play day 1, he better LTIRetire as you've put it. But at that point it's already too late as you've mentioned.

Doesn't really help the team to LTIR him when there aren't going to be any worthwhile players available in September.

It's a completely f***ed scenario. I know people love Landy but his injury and lack of recovery from it has really f***ed us from attempting to build a proper team.

The team needs some sort of closure from this. We can't go into another year without someone wearing the C. It's sounds stupid but playing without a captain isn't ideal.

It sucks that it's come to this point but if this Avs want any chance of having a competitive roster moving forward there has to be a conclusion to this seemingly never ending saga.

 

[chet1926]

I re-watched the goals from that run last night. It looked like a different sense of urgency.

No idea what it takes to rediscover that but that was the biggest takeaway for me.

That's exactly what it was. They played to kill teams and take away their will to fight back. We wanted to skate them out the building in the first 10 mins and get up fast so the other teams fight would diminish. Now we kind of sit back and hope and let other teams dictate how they want to play. Not sure how to rediscover that killer instinct. But we haven't played that kind of hockey in over 2 years.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

The 2022 team was just disgusting. Rants MacK Kadri top 20 in scoring. Makar just outside at 21. None of them played a full season.

Landy in the top 25 of points per game plus everything else he brings.

Legitimately 4 guys you could argue were playing like not just first liners. But top end first liners. Two undeniably were superstars.

Makar and Toews played like #1s.

Two ice tilting two way monsters in Lehk and Nuke who never stopped skating.

Byram for the only time thus far in his career showed up to his potential. Manson fit in perfectly.

Where did it all go wrong.

The absence of Landy plays a huge role honestly. Captain of the team played such a massive role in everything about that 2022 group.

It can't be understated how massive it would be for this group to see Landy come back and play at a high level again.

 

[henchman21]

That's exactly what it was. They played to kill teams and take away their will to fight back. We wanted to skate them out the building in the first 10 mins and get up fast so the other teams fight would diminish. Now we kind of sit back and hope and let other teams dictate how they want to play. Not sure how to rediscover that killer instinct. But we haven't played that kind of hockey in over 2 years.

I'll argue the Avs don't have the horses for it. Just the nature of the changes and cap.

There is really a ton of things up in the air that really make it impossible to go beyond chatter and speculation. As we near the draft, we will get a few items settled. After July 1 it should be fairly clear what the path is. Just with the amount of variability here, it is hard to really put stock into much.

Just look at this list:

Landy and his return
Nuke situation
Rants contract extension and fitting it in
Mitts' new contract
What to do with the 2024 1st... draft or improve next year's team?
Do you bring back Drouin?
What about other UFAs (Duhaime, Cogs, Trenin, Kivi, JMFJ, Walker)?
Did George do enough to stay for a year?
Do you figure out LOC's contract a year early coming off injury to maybe get a slight discoutn?
Wood and Colton's NTC kick in (Wood's is M-NTC), Lehky and Manson move from NMC to M-NTC
The AHL team is down to 6 forwards and no goalies (fine on defense) with nobody in the pool really coming in... how do you fill the depth?
If Nuke is around, there is less than 10m available to find 9-10 guys. Without Nuke we have 16m (minus whatever cap hit) to find 10-11.

This offseason has a lot going on and a number of things have to fall into place to even had an idea of what is happening. I'd imagine it starts with the re-singing of Mitts and Drouin... but possible they use the cap to squeeze Mitts.

 

[Ceremony]

I think it's fairly apparent that Landeskog has a job for life with the Avalanche if he wants it. Just promise him ten million a year when he's GM and be done with it.

 

[chet1926]

I'll argue the Avs don't have the horses for it. Just the nature of the changes and cap.

There is really a ton of things up in the air that really make it impossible to go beyond chatter and speculation. As we near the draft, we will get a few items settled. After July 1 it should be fairly clear what the path is. Just with the amount of variability here, it is hard to really put stock into much.

Just look at this list:

Landy and his return
Nuke situation
Rants contract extension and fitting it in
Mitts' new contract
What to do with the 2024 1st... draft or improve next year's team?
Do you bring back Drouin?
What about other UFAs (Duhaime, Cogs, Trenin, Kivi, JMFJ, Walker)?
Did George do enough to stay for a year?
Do you figure out LOC's contract a year early coming off injury to maybe get a slight discoutn?
Wood and Colton's NTC kick in (Wood's is M-NTC), Lehky and Manson move from NMC to M-NTC
The AHL team is down to 6 forwards and no goalies (fine on defense) with nobody in the pool really coming in... how do you fill the depth?
If Nuke is around, there is less than 10m available to find 9-10 guys. Without Nuke we have 16m (minus whatever cap hit) to find 10-11.

This offseason has a lot going on and a number of things have to fall into place to even had an idea of what is happening. I'd imagine it starts with the re-singing of Mitts and Drouin... but possible they use the cap to squeeze Mitts.

Agreed. It's going to be interesting, CMac/Sakic have shitload to do and if fail it's going to be a long season.

 

[AvStock]

What about thoughts around Rantanen for Mintyukov and Terry or something?

 

[LOFIN]

What about thoughts around Rantanen for Mintyukov and Terry or something?

Again, what does that trade do for our cap problems next year? Nothing. So you trade Rantanen for a worse player, and achieve f*** all.

 

[henchman21]

Rants ain’t going anywhere. He will be re-signed and for a number that will cause grumbles. But a ticket seller will be on the ice for 9 years.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Again, what does that trade do for our cap problems next year? Nothing. So you trade Rantanen for a worse player, and achieve f*** all.

How does it do nothing? $2.25M is a lot, and more importantly $5.5M+ in future years.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

Rants ain’t going anywhere. He will be re-signed and for a number that will cause grumbles. But a ticket seller will be on the ice for 9 years.

I also think that Rantanen won't be leaving any time soon unless the Avs get offered a deal too good to pass up. Fans should just gear up and pray that he some how gets motivated to play every game instead of every 15 games.

 

[AegonLeConqueror]

The 2022 team was just disgusting. Rants MacK Kadri top 20 in scoring. Makar just outside at 21. None of them played a full season.

Landy in the top 25 of points per game plus everything else he brings.

Legitimately 4 guys you could argue were playing like not just first liners. But top end first liners. Two undeniably were superstars.

Makar and Toews played like #1s.

Two ice tilting two way monsters in Lehk and Nuke who never stopped skating.

Byram for the only time thus far in his career showed up to his potential. Manson fit in perfectly.

Where did it all go wrong.

Cup complacency maybe?

For all the talk of MacK being a competitive guy (which I don't doubt), we also know he can be a bit of a whiny baby. So when things get too tough, MacK and co. could be ones to just sit back and be like "eh, well I've won a cup already so f*** it".

There's competitive where you want to win and then there's competitive where you f***ing hate to lose. My arm-chair psychologist evaluation believes that someone like MacKinnon is the former and someone like Crosby is the latter.

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

The absence of Landy plays a huge role honestly. Captain of the team played such a massive role in everything about that 2022 group.

It can't be understated how massive it would be for this group to see Landy come back and play at a high level again.

Landy who's barely fourth line level may not have the same clout in the room. Especially when IMO the inmates are running the asylum somewhat. MacK has way too big of a voice right now. A Landy who's hanging on and can't keep up with the play may not be what they need leadership wise.

It's not only can Landy come back and play properly. It's can he stay healthy and in the lineup too.

 

[LOFIN]

How does it do nothing? $2.25M is a lot, and more importantly $5.5M+ in future years.

Next season is the most critical part. In that deal, the difference would be 1mil. Not enough to solve our cap issues. The cap is going to increase very sharply, that should take care of the Rantanen extension.

So, we would still be forced to trade someone else besides Rantanen for next season. As for 2025 onwards, if you think Terry + additional 5,5mil player is better than having Rantanen, sure. I don't agree, but we all have our opinions.

 

[henchman21]

Next season is the most critical part. In that deal, the difference would be 1mil. Not enough to solve our cap issues. The cap is going to increase very sharply, that should take care of the Rantanen extension.

So, we would still be forced to trade someone else besides Rantanen for next season. As for 2025 onwards, if you think Terry + additional 5,5mil player is better than having Rantanen, sure. I don't agree, but we all have our opinions.

Cap is going up 5% a season (unless the NHLPA and NHL agree on escrow) through this CBA which is only for these 2 seasons. After that we have the CBA to deal with and the economic headwinds coming due (national TV deals not being as lucrative and RSN drama). So the year Rants' extension kicks in the cap should go up ~4.5... which should pay for his increase, but little else.

The little else is the primary issue here. The Avs (including Nuke) have 63m committed to 9 players in that season. If we assume Nuke is gone, and Rants signs for $13 flat. That number is in the realm of 70m to 9 players. Assuming Mitts is signed long-term at $6m. That is 76m to 10 players. This leaves ~16m to sign at least 10, but realistically 12 players.

I'd argue 25-26 is the most critical season cap wise coming up. The numbers don't look pretty. If there is a crunch or decrease post CBA, there will be a method to get compliant.

 

[LOFIN]

Now here's some creative BS for you fellas

Rantanen for Saros. 1 for 1, or Nashville can add some picks whatever.

Georgiev to NJ for a 2nd or something

2nd or something to NYR for the rights to Kakko

We get stronger on goal, acquire cap space (because Kakko ought to be cheap on the short term), and can have another reclamation project. I don't think NYR would want to get rid of Kakko for just that 2nd, but with his diminishing role who knows if Kakko wants to remain there instead of getting a fresh start. Right now he is because they are contending, but when the season is over...

 

[henchman21]

Now here's some creative BS for you fellas

Rantanen for Saros. 1 for 1, or Nashville can add some picks whatever.

Georgiev to NJ for a 2nd or something

2nd or something to NYR for the rights to Kakko

We get stronger on goal, acquire cap space (because Kakko ought to be cheap on the short term), and can have another reclamation project.

The upgrade from George to Saros helps a lot... but grabbing Kakko is a huge downgrade and far outweighs what is gained in net. At Kakko's best, he's looked like a passable 2nd liner. At his worst, he's a 4th liner.

It is probably fair to say Landy won't be a top liner moving forward. Nuke won't be here. Rants moved in this (or a different deal). We'd be looking at Lehky, Drouin, Kakko, and Landy as our top 6 wingers. That's pretty brutal even assuming Landy comes back at say a 30-30 level. There isn't one legit 1st line winger in that group.

 

[Avs_19]

Rants ain’t going anywhere. He will be re-signed and for a number that will cause grumbles. But a ticket seller will be on the ice for 9 years.

Yeah, not that we needed Elliotte to tell us this but I'd guess it's a matter of when and not if he's extended. I imagine they'll try to get it done early but it takes two so we'll see.

Either way, nine more years.

 

[henchman21]

Yeah, not that we needed Elliotte to tell us this but I'd guess it's a matter of when and not if he's extended. I imagine they'll try to get it done early but it takes two so we'll see.

Either way, nine more years.

My guess is September/October. It gives some negotiation time after some of the other pieces fall into place.

 

[Ceremony]

Whoever makes the thread when Rantanen signs an extension needs to include a poll about what weight he'll be by the end of it.

 

[Vaslof]

The salary cap better go up by like 10M if we're re-signing Rantanen.
I looked it up, hey they are predicting 4.2M increase for 24-25.
Then another increase in 25-26 when his new contract would go in effect.

 

[Balthazar]

The salary cap better go up by like 10M if we're re-signing Rantanen.
I looked it up, hey they are predicting 4.2M increase for 24-25.
Then another increase in 25-26 when his new contract would go in effect.

Toews' extension eats 3.15M of next season's cap increase..so there's only 1M left.

 

[LOFIN]

The salary cap better go up by like 10M if we're re-signing Rantanen.
I looked it up, hey they are predicting 4.2M increase for 24-25.
Then another increase in 25-26 when his new contract would go in effect.

Friedge said around 93mil in 25-26. This year it was 83.5, so almost 10mil increase in two years.

 

[henchman21]

Toews' extension eats 3.15M of next season's cap increase

And Mitts at least 3. So >6m in increases for next year with the YoY increase of about $4m.

Excluding Nuke and with Mitts at $5.5m. The Avs are a shade under 78m with 8F-4D-2G. Assuming 2 extras, $9m to sign the remaining 8 spots.

Friedge said around 93mil in 25-26. This year it was 83.5, so almost 10mil increase in two years.

The CBA MOU dictates that it is a maximum 5% increase per season. The only way that changes is if the NHLPA and NHL agree to a higher limit, which basically means higher escrow. Something the NHLPA has been very strongly against (NHL offered a higher cap last year in exchange for 2% higher escrow and was denied). So applying that 87.675m next season and 92.06m in 25-26.

 

[niwotsblessing]

...the league takes any types of business that could be perceived as salary cap circumvention very seriously.

Mark Stone calls horseshit on this statement.