Rumor: 2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency Thread: Post Deadline

[Alienblood]

Would you ever consider promoting Annunen, dumping Georgiev for cap space and just committing to the fact that you'll have to pick up a goalie at the deadline regardless of how Justus is doing unless somehow by then we are comfortable with Justus/Ivan/Ian.

I hope this is what happens. A healthy competition. with Prosvetov.

 

[UncleRisto]

You know this is like saying Candyman 3 times.

Angry Rantanen appears and highsticks you in the face?

 

[Pokecheque]

Angry Rantanen appears and highsticks you in the face?

No he’d cross check you in the ribs and then snap the stick in half.

 

[jfc64]

The absolute minimum (just add first or second goalie):

Lehkonen (4.5) - MacKinnon ($12.6m) - Rantanen (9.25)
Nichushkin (6.125) - Colton (4) - Kovalenko (0.896)
Wood (2.5) - Ritchie (0.925) - O'Connor (1.05)
Cogliano (UFA, 0.825) - Wagner (0.775) - Polin (0.87)
Olofsson (UFA, 0.775) = 45.09

Toews (7.25) - Makar (9)
Behrens (0.925) - Manson (4.5)
Johnson (UFA, 0.775) - Malinski (0.85)
Middleton (0.775) = 24.075

Annunen (0.840) = 0.840
---------------------------
70.0

Georgiev (3.4) [Having three young goalies like Dostal, Hunter Jones and Annunen battling it out? Requires trades]
Girard (5) [to Montreal to nanny Reinbacher?]
Landeskog (7) [no salary in the 2024-25 playoffs!]
Mittelstadt (RFA) [how much or for who?]
Drouin (UFA) [fits right in]

 

[Hasbro]

The Drury trade made me very mad.

Death Knell of the First Dynasty.

 

[Richard88]

Here's the solution lads:

Sign:
Mittelstadt $6.5m X 8
Ritchie ELC
3rd pairing RHD $900k
Cogliano/other vet $775k
Kiviranta $775k
Caleb Jones $775k

Trade: Miles Wood (just do what it takes to move that contract)

Regular season 22 man roster ($10k under the cap ceiling):

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Mittelstadt ($6.5m) - Nichushkin
Ritchie - Colton - LOC
Cogliano/vet ($775k) - Wagner - Kovalenko
Kiviranta ($775k)

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Behrens - RHD ($900k)
Jones ($775k)

Georgiev
Annunen

At trade deadline acquire:
- bottom 6 winger
- 4C
- A solid 4/5 D (either RHS or LHS depending on how Behrens has looked).

Playoff roster:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Mittelstadt ($6.5m) - Nichushkin
***FWD*** - Colton - LOC
Cogliano - ***4C*** - Kovalenko
Ritchie/Kiviranta/Wagner

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Behrens - ***4/5 Dman***
Jones - RHD ($900k)

Georgiev
Annunen

Obviously it would be out of character for the Avs to trade someone they just signed to a long term deal (i.e. Wood), but that's a player you move before Lehkonen/Girard/Manson 10/10.

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

Here's the solution lads:

Sign:
Mittelstadt $6.5m X 8
Ritchie ELC
3rd pairing RHD $900k
Cogliano/other vet $775k
Kiviranta $775k
Caleb Jones $775k

Trade: Miles Wood (just do what it takes to move that contract)

Regular season 22 man roster ($10k under the cap ceiling):

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Mittelstadt ($6.5m) - Nichushkin
Ritchie - Colton - LOC
Cogliano/vet ($775k) - Wagner - Kovalenko
Kiviranta ($775k)

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Behrens - RHD ($900k)
Jones ($775k)

Georgiev
Annunen

At trade deadline acquire:
- bottom 6 winger
- 4C
- A solid 4/5 D (either RHS or LHS depending on how Behrens has looked).

Playoff roster:

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Mittelstadt ($6.5m) - Nichushkin
***FWD*** - Colton - LOC
Cogliano - ***4C*** - Kovalenko
Ritchie/Kiviranta/Wagner

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Behrens - ***4/5 Dman***
Jones - RHD ($900k)

Georgiev
Annunen

Obviously it would be out of character for the Avs to trade someone they just signed to a long term deal (i.e. Wood), but that's a player you move before Lehkonen/Girard/Manson 10/10.

Definitely makes the most sense, and i dont think wood has negative value so he could be moved. Only problem is he might be hard to move to a good team struggling with the cap and the avs arent going to retain on that long of a contract which leaves bad teams as partners. Would be really bad optics to exile wood to hockey siberia one year into his long fa deal. For optics alone I think the avs would move colton first, he was traded for anyway, signed a mid range RFA deal, and is somewhat expendable. Obviously not ideal but Girard, Georgiev then Manson are the next in my opinion. Order of who i would trade if necessary to create cap space:

Colton
Girard
Georgiev
Manson
Wood (at this point optics be damned)
Combo of any two above
Rantanen (is obviously better than players below but cap flexibility and new contract coming up puts him here for me)
Lehky
Mitts
Nuke
Toews
Landy (have to give him at least one chance to come back before exploring other options)
Makar
MacK

If Landy comes back and is only a 3rd liner or worse then you have to have some Stone like conversations with him about when the back flares up every year, about perma LTIR or look to trade him when his full NMC stops for the 25/26 season unless he is willing to waive before then. A lot of the future is tied to what happens with the Captain.

 

[Bensch88]

What i'd give for one last hooray of that 9296 line

 

[PAZ]

Trade: Miles Wood (just do what it takes to move that contract)

I think he’ll be viewed as a positive asset if the Avs go deep and he keeps up his play.

 

[Vaslof]

I think he’ll be viewed as a positive asset if the Avs go deep and he keeps up his play.

Realistically he also won't ever be traded after 1 year when they gave him a 6 year contract.

 

[henchman21]

I think he’ll be viewed as a positive asset if the Avs go deep and he keeps up his play.

He won’t be… way too long and his flaws are very apparent.

 

[MacKaRant]

Here's the solution lads:

Regular season 22 man roster ($10k under the cap ceiling):

Landeskog - MacKinnon - Rantanen
Lehkonen - Mittelstadt ($6.5m) - Nichushkin
Ritchie - Colton - LOC
Cogliano/vet ($775k) - Wagner - Kovalenko
Kiviranta ($775k)

Toews - Makar
Girard - Manson
Behrens - RHD ($900k)
Jones ($775k)

Georgiev
Annunen

Ooof, seeing it written out, and that roster seems so much worse than what we're rolling now, particularly bottom six and bottom pair. Landeskog better be healthy and at at least 92% of his previous level. One key injury and we might be in trouble. Also, the goaltending is less than great.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Ooof, seeing it written out, and that roster seems so much worse than what we're rolling now, particularly bottom six and bottom pair. Landeskog better be healthy and at at least 92% of his previous level. One key injury and we might be in trouble. Also, the goaltending is less than great.

How?

4/6 of the bottom 6 is exactly the same as what we have thisyear(Colton, LOC, Cogs/Kivi, Kovalenko), arguably even 5/6 with Wagner. They can find plenty of solid depth pieces for $900k as well.



Of course it isn't quite as strong as the playoff team, but that's because we literally just went through trade deadline where we bought 2 bottom 6 forwards and a Top 4Dman. But quite frankly a healthy Landeskog would make up for literally all of that. Our Top 6 and Top 4 would be ridiculous again, and still plenty enough depth to be effective.


The issue is there's no chance Wood gets moved unfortunately. Nobody would want him with his contract and the Avs aren't about to move him with the contract they just gave him.

 

[LOFIN]

Realistically he also won't ever be traded after 1 year when they gave him a 6 year contract.

I see this brought up by a lot of people, also regarding Colton. "They are not going to trade them because they just signed them!"

Well, CMac so far has shown his ability to retrofit his mistakes. And if his evaluation during the summer is that he would rather keep say Lehkonen and Girard over those guys, I'm pretty sure those contracts matter f*** all. He's personally going to drive them to the airport.

Neither Wood or Colton have any clauses. Lehkonen on the other hand has a 12 team clause starting in the middle of June, so that also complicates things.

 

[PAZ]

He won’t be… way too long and his flaws are very apparent.

There's always a few GMs that are in love with the physical, fast, energy guys. He may not be worth much, but I doubt we have to pay to dump him.

Everyone knew Goodrow was overpaid the second he signed his 6 x 3.6 mil contract + M-NTC, yet he still had multiple offers.

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

I’m out on moving Lehkonen at this point.

I do see the reasoning in going that direction since he’d have a lot in return, but his contract is too good of value.

I’d say it’s between Colton and Girard. What’s the safer bet? Ritchie as 3C next year, or Behrens as 2LHD?

I think how Colton and Girard finish the playoffs will have an impact on that decision. Colton has been kind of meh this year, but I still think there’s a good amount of value in a Swiss Army knife player who can bring energy in the playoffs.

 

[RockLobster]

I have NO idea what people are thinking when they say Ritchie can be 3C next year. It’s mind boggling. He doesn’t play the style that Bednar wants from his 3C, and you’re going to ask a 19 year old kid to come in and play an important role in what remains of this current window?

The fact is it’s likely to be one of Lehky, Manson, or Mikko. Colton isn’t going anywhere because he has a NTC kicking in and just signed a long term deal (this is not the same as acquiring a pending UFA in RyJo at 50% retention and then trading him when it’s not working; the situations are not the same). And yes—no matter which one it is, it will hurt to see them go

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

I have NO idea what people are thinking when they say Ritchie can be 3C next year. It’s mind boggling. He doesn’t play the style that Bednar wants from his 3C, and you’re going to ask a 19 year old kid to come in and play an important role in what remains of this current window?

The fact is it’s likely to be one of Lehky, Manson, or Mikko. Colton isn’t going anywhere because he has a NTC kicking in and just signed a long term deal (this is not the same as acquiring a pending UFA in RyJo at 50% retention and then trading him when it’s not working; the situations are not the same). And yes—no matter which one it is, it will hurt to see them go

Have you watched Ross Colton this year? He’s not good defensively and half the year he was learning how to play the centre ice position because he only did it sparingly in Tampa. Quite frankly, Ritchie is probably a more natural C than Colton.

Ritchie is not some tiny kid that needs three years to put on size. He was 6’2 190 on draft night. He’d probably be up to 6’2 200 by next season.

Lehkonen is an identity player. Manson is the only one with size on the defence. Rantanen is core. What makes you think I think those guys are more likely to go than Girard, or Colton?

 

[The Abusement Park]

All I know is trading/signing for Colton/Wood, signing them medium/long term and then immediately moving on from them would not be ideal in attracting players in the future. Especially in a market that is already not entirely attractive as is.

 

[Vaslof]

Ooof, seeing it written out, and that roster seems so much worse than what we're rolling now, particularly bottom six and bottom pair. Landeskog better be healthy and at at least 92% of his previous level. One key injury and we might be in trouble. Also, the goaltending is less than great.

We will have deadline additions next year too.

 

[RockLobster]

Have you watched Ross Colton this year? He’s not good defensively and half the year he was learning how to play the centre ice position because he only did it sparingly in Tampa. Quite frankly, Ritchie is probably a more natural C than Colton.

Ritchie is not some tiny kid that needs three years to put on size. He was 6’2 190 on draft night. He’d probably be up to 6’2 200 by next season.

Lehkonen is an identity player. Manson is the only one with size on the defence. Rantanen is core. What makes you think I think those guys are more likely to go than Girard, or Colton?

Ritchie is a complete unknown at the NHL level. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he doesn’t even play C in the NHL. Plus his game is *not* suited for 3C/bottom 6 duty. His game is suited for Top 6 duty.

And, again, it’s been pointed out that the Avs have been trying to build the proper depth at C for so long. They finally acquired a guy who can be that 3C, signed him to a decent term deal, with a NTC kicking in on 7/1/24, and they play in a market that’s already a little hard to get guys here without overpaying. He’s going to be here next year.

As for your other questions: there’s no one to replace what G does right at this moment. You can say Behrens but he doesn’t play the same type of game that G does. Their similarity pretty much begins & ends with their size.

Manson being a physical presence, while true, can be more easily replaced for a cheaper hit.

I’m not advocating for trading Lehky, but he’s got a high enough cap hit and could return a good package without taking salary back. Again, no one is saying we’d be HAPPY to see him go.

Mikko is the move if Colorado doesn’t want to trade Manson & Lehky because he would get an even bigger return, allow them to replenish pipeline assets, likely get a contributor on an ELC/cheap contract, and even good draft capital. Not to mention his cap allows for the depth up and down the lineup to be maintained.

But again, it would hurt to trade him. That’s the point—the guys who are most likely to go all come with the notion that it will HURT to trade them

 

[dahrougem2]

I have NO idea what people are thinking when they say Ritchie can be 3C next year. It’s mind boggling. He doesn’t play the style that Bednar wants from his 3C, and you’re going to ask a 19 year old kid to come in and play an important role in what remains of this current window?

The fact is it’s likely to be one of Lehky, Manson, or Mikko. Colton isn’t going anywhere because he has a NTC kicking in and just signed a long term deal (this is not the same as acquiring a pending UFA in RyJo at 50% retention and then trading him when it’s not working; the situations are not the same). And yes—no matter which one it is, it will hurt to see them go

And once again I will continue to point out: the template already exists in Dallas. Wyatt Johnston has had Jamie Benn stapled to his line for two seasons. You think Wyatt Johnston is the prototypical 3C?

You trade Colton and run a Landeskog - Ritchie - LOC 3rd line where those two vets insulate him, and he provides the cerebral offensive game.

Is it perfect? Obviously not, but I trade Ross Colton any day of the week before I move Lehkonen, Manson, or Girard.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Ritchie is a complete unknown at the NHL level. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that he doesn’t even play C in the NHL. Plus his game is *not* suited for 3C/bottom 6 duty. His game is suited for Top 6 duty.

And, again, it’s been pointed out that the Avs have been trying to build the proper depth at C for so long. They finally acquired a guy who can be that 3C, signed him to a decent term deal, with a NTC kicking in on 7/1/24, and they play in a market that’s already a little hard to get guys here without overpaying. He’s going to be here next year.

As for your other questions: there’s no one to replace what G does right at this moment. You can say Behrens but he doesn’t play the same type of game that G does. Their similarity pretty much begins & ends with their size.

Manson being a physical presence, while true, can be more easily replaced for a cheaper hit.

I’m not advocating for trading Lehky, but he’s got a high enough cap hit and could return a good package without taking salary back. Again, no one is saying we’d be HAPPY to see him go.

Mikko is the move if Colorado doesn’t want to trade Manson & Lehky because he would get an even bigger return, allow them to replenish pipeline assets, likely get a contributor on an ELC/cheap contract, and even good draft capital. Not to mention his cap allows for the depth up and down the lineup to be maintained.

But again, it would hurt to trade him. That’s the point—the guys who are most likely to go all come with the notion that it will HURT to trade them

Mikko isnt going anywhere. Colton isnt a core player, hes the first one gone just like we let Compher go for nothing. I can guarantee you that CMAC isnt keeping a guy bednar barely played 9 mins in during a playoff game (game4) over Lehkonen or Mikko. We have Mitts now as a legit 2C, the 3C position has to be cheaper.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

I’m out on moving Lehkonen at this point.

I do see the reasoning in going that direction since he’d have a lot in return, but his contract is too good of value.

I’d say it’s between Colton and Girard. What’s the safer bet? Ritchie as 3C next year, or Behrens as 2LHD?

I think how Colton and Girard finish the playoffs will have an impact on that decision. Colton has been kind of meh this year, but I still think there’s a good amount of value in a Swiss Army knife player who can bring energy in the playoffs.

Colton, hes easier to move and bednar has stated before he wants to ice 3/4 line relatively equally. So i think trenin replaces colton and then we get another 4C on a 1.5M deal. I think LoC drives the 3rd line more than Colton anyways. Theres no replacement for Girard right now.

 

[lionsDen]

If moving on from Lehkonen closes our window then this core isn’t that great.

Lehkonen is awesome. A perfect compliment to the core of this team, but that’s like saying moving on from Palat would’ve closed Tampas window.

we all know how this team plays when nuke is out and to an extent lehky. They bring exactly what this team needs and is a key cog. Roles as Bednar points out