Salary Cap: Chris MacFarland - Record as Avalanche GM (Updates In First Post)

[Hasbro]

Great week for MacSakic: Got a 2C at 50% for nothing, Got a 1st and Colton for Newhook, AND managed to still add two 1st round prospects.

 

[Patagonia]

Great week for MacSakic: Got a 2C at 50% for nothing, Got a 1st and Colton for Newhook, AND managed to still add two 1st round prospects.

I agree, it has been very good week.

Both 1st might be good selections, Byram (extended) and signed Woods; with low cost/risk Drouin, Cogs, Annunen and JJ. Didn’t like the later picks and should have combined them for a higher pick.

Still have cap space with Landy LTIR, for depth 4C, 2LW and 6RD. Lots of young players still available, would like further replenishing the prospect system.

 

[CobraAcesS]

As long as they fit the system they'll be fine. On the cup winning team Burakovsky, Kadri, Newhook, and NAK all weren't known for their defensive play.

If the ice is tilted on the opponents end of the ice individual player's defense matters less, which is why Bednar's system is simple, effective, but demanding.

That's a good point. I think that's why the third line is being built the way it is.

 

[Belgican]

But Colton is not signed yet, I would like to see get it done, with some term, and see what we have for some last move

 

[niwotsblessing]

But Colton is not signed yet, I would like to see get it done, with some term, and see what we have for some last move

Today is a US holiday, it'll get done.

 

[Foppa2118]

Looks like the Avs have made some more changes to their amateur scouting. Long time head of European Scouting Loni Lehto is no longer listed on the Avs site, which should have a big impact.

New additions so far are Rob Riley, who has tons of experience with about 20 years as head coach of Army in the NCAA, and another 15 or so as a scout. Also added Teemu Nurmi who will probably replace some of the scouting Lehto did.

Avs have made quite a few changes to their scouting and development group the last couple years.


2022 Offseason

• Hires Kevin McDonald as Assistant General Manager
• Craig Billington's title changed from Assistant General Manager to Director of Goaltending Evaluation/Special Prospects
• Pro Scout Garth Joy leaves to be Associate Director of Player Personnel and Director of Pro Scouting for NYR
• Hires Scott Harris as Director of Scouting Operations
• Hires Amateur Scout Andrei Plekhanov
• Hires Amateur Scout Sandis Ozolinsh

2023 Offseason

• AHL head coach Greg Cronin leaves to be head coach of Anaheim Ducks
• Dir. of European Scouting Joni Lehto leaves organization
• Hires Rob Riley as Amateur Scout
• Hires Teemu Nurmi as Amateur Scout

 

[McMetal]

Looks like the Avs have made some more changes to their amateur scouting. Long time head of European Scouting Loni Lehto is no longer listed on the Avs site, which should have a big impact.

New additions so far are Rob Riley, who has tons of experience with about 20 years as head coach of Army in the NCAA, and another 15 or so as a scout. Also added Teemu Nurmi who will probably replace some of the scouting Lehto did.

Avs have made quite a few changes to their scouting and development group the last couple years.


2022 Offseason

• Hires Kevin McDonald as Assistant General Manager
• Craig Billington's title changed from Assistant General Manager to Director of Goaltending Evaluation/Special Prospects
• Pro Scout Garth Joy leaves to be Associate Director of Player Personnel and Director of Pro Scouting for NYR
• Hires Scott Harris as Director of Scouting Operations
• Hires Amateur Scout Andrei Plekhanov
• Hires Amateur Scout Sandis Ozolinsh

2023 Offseason

• AHL head coach Greg Cronin leaves to be head coach of Anaheim Ducks
• Dir. of European Scouting Joni Lehto leaves organization
• Hires Rob Riley as Amateur Scout
• Hires Teemu Nurmi as Amateur Scout

Of course Rob Riley has a Blue Jackets connection, he worked as a scout for them during CMac's time.

Nurmi looks like a newcomer to the world of scouting, if I found the right guy. He's only 38, played in the Liiga for a long time. Can't find any other info on him.

 

[Nihiliste]

Looks like the Avs have made some more changes to their amateur scouting. Long time head of European Scouting Loni Lehto is no longer listed on the Avs site, which should have a big impact.

New additions so far are Rob Riley, who has tons of experience with about 20 years as head coach of Army in the NCAA, and another 15 or so as a scout. Also added Teemu Nurmi who will probably replace some of the scouting Lehto did.

Avs have made quite a few changes to their scouting and development group the last couple years.


2022 Offseason

• Hires Kevin McDonald as Assistant General Manager
• Craig Billington's title changed from Assistant General Manager to Director of Goaltending Evaluation/Special Prospects
• Pro Scout Garth Joy leaves to be Associate Director of Player Personnel and Director of Pro Scouting for NYR
• Hires Scott Harris as Director of Scouting Operations
• Hires Amateur Scout Andrei Plekhanov
• Hires Amateur Scout Sandis Ozolinsh

2023 Offseason

• AHL head coach Greg Cronin leaves to be head coach of Anaheim Ducks
• Dir. of European Scouting Joni Lehto leaves organization
• Hires Rob Riley as Amateur Scout
• Hires Teemu Nurmi as Amateur Scout

Is Garth Joy leaving something we should be worried about @henchman21 , or has our pro scouting been more of an analytics thing

 

[klozge]

Imagine you would take leadership of the most successful company in the world and a year later it's just one of many. I don't think I've seen a window closed as quickly after a Cup win as our latest one. Would be wonderful if everything turns out well after a couple of years but right now there's little reason to be confident in the abilities of the current Avs' GM.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Imagine you would take leadership of the most successful company in the world and a year later it's just one of many. I don't think I've seen a window closed as quickly after a Cup win as our latest one. Would be wonderful if everything turns out well after a couple of years but right now there's little reason to be confident in the abilities of the current Avs' GM.

@klozge , all due respect here my friend, but the AVS are favourites to win it all next season (per below), and that's judged by bigger experts than us, so I don't see how that translates to our window being closed?

Yet here we are, after losing forwards like Donskoi, Burakovski, Kadri, Landeskog & others. We look healthier and deeper than last season, where we came 7th overall (despite vast amounts of injury).

The cap has been managed to a point we've still been able to bring in Stanley Cup veterans like Colton. On TOP of an 8 mill per Johansen (50% retained of course).

I swear, if people were new to hockey, and they were picking a new team, AVS being one of the most exciting bigger clubs out there, people might come to these boards and get the idea we are horrible by what's written here overall. I don't get it....why aren't people so impressed, excited, rejuvenated, pumped for the season ahead - if this team remains healthy, as the sporting odds metrics show below, we are closer to a Stanley Cup than anyone else.

That shows me CMac has done an IMMENSE job despite all the negativity and pessimism. We are going to blow the opposition apart next season, trust me.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/2024-nhl-stanley-cup-odds-risers-and-fallers-after-free-agency-opener

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

Gets upgraded to a 4 so far for me from a 2 last season. If he adds a legit top six forward to hedge on some of the bets and balances out the D a bit and another depth forward he can move up to a 5.

 

[Foppa2118]

I swear, if people were new to hockey, and they were picking a new team, AVS being one of the most exciting bigger clubs out there, people might come to these boards and get the idea we are horrible by what's written here overall. I don't get it....why aren't people so impressed, excited, rejuvenated, pumped for the season ahead - if this team remains healthy, as the sporting odds metrics show below, we are closer to a Stanley Cup than anyone else.

 

[CobraAcesS]

@klozge , all due respect here my friend, but the AVS are favourites to win it all next season (per below), and that's judged by bigger experts than us, so I don't see how that translates to our window being closed?

Yet here we are, after losing forwards like Donskoi, Burakovski, Kadri, Landeskog & others. We look healthier and deeper than last season, where we came 7th overall (despite vast amounts of injury).

The cap has been managed to a point we've still been able to bring in Stanley Cup veterans like Colton. On TOP of an 8 mill per Johansen (50% retained of course).

I swear, if people were new to hockey, and they were picking a new team, AVS being one of the most exciting bigger clubs out there, people might come to these boards and get the idea we are horrible by what's written here overall. I don't get it....why aren't people so impressed, excited, rejuvenated, pumped for the season ahead - if this team remains healthy, as the sporting odds metrics show below, we are closer to a Stanley Cup than anyone else.

That shows me CMac has done an IMMENSE job despite all the negativity and pessimism. We are going to blow the opposition apart next season, trust me.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/2024-nhl-stanley-cup-odds-risers-and-fallers-after-free-agency-opener

Never forgiving him for the TDL until he wins as GM.

Hoping to move it to 4 though here soon. It's pretty impressive. Don't try to change my mind lol.

 

[pockets]

@klozge , all due respect here my friend, but the AVS are favourites to win it all next season (per below), and that's judged by bigger experts than us, so I don't see how that translates to our window being closed?

Yet here we are, after losing forwards like Donskoi, Burakovski, Kadri, Landeskog & others. We look healthier and deeper than last season, where we came 7th overall (despite vast amounts of injury).

The cap has been managed to a point we've still been able to bring in Stanley Cup veterans like Colton. On TOP of an 8 mill per Johansen (50% retained of course).

I swear, if people were new to hockey, and they were picking a new team, AVS being one of the most exciting bigger clubs out there, people might come to these boards and get the idea we are horrible by what's written here overall. I don't get it....why aren't people so impressed, excited, rejuvenated, pumped for the season ahead - if this team remains healthy, as the sporting odds metrics show below, we are closer to a Stanley Cup than anyone else.

That shows me CMac has done an IMMENSE job despite all the negativity and pessimism. We are going to blow the opposition apart next season, trust me.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/2024-nhl-stanley-cup-odds-risers-and-fallers-after-free-agency-opener

Holy f*** @Sea Eagles and I actually agree on something, I don’t see how anyone could think the Avs’ window has closed.

This feels unnatural, back to disagreeing, Avs maybe be favorites but they were also favorites all of last year so that really doesn’t mean much, and until Drouin and RyJo prove otherwise they’re still just freshly thrown shit that CMac + the Sak are hoping sticks.

Now trade Girard for a real top6 winger and quit f***ing around with a $5m 3rd pairing midget.

Keeping him at a 2 for now.

 

[Foppa2118]

This feels unnatural, back to disagreeing, Avs maybe be favorites but they were also favorites all of last year so that really doesn’t mean much, and until Drouin and RyJo prove otherwise they’re still just freshly thrown shit that CMac + the Sak are hoping sticks.

He said if the team remains healthy though, which they obviously didn't last year. And this year's healthy roster is shaping up to be better than last year's healthy roster.

Fair point on RyJo and Drouin though, even though I think both will fit well on the Avs stylistically and play much better than they did for prior teams.

I think Nate could single handedly make Drouin a better player, both on the ice, and off the ice. It's been reported that he tried to get Elliotte Freidman to talk him up in the past, and talked up both Jo as a person and a hockey player to Avs management. I think he really wants to see his buddy have success and could score 60 with Drouin playing a pure playmaker role, if they click together this year.

I think RyJo may be more motivated than at any other time in his career to prove his doubters, and Trotz wrong for not believing in him. I also think the Avs culture of excellence and expectation of winning and working their butt off that comes from both Bednar and the coaching staff, and their star players like Nate, Landy, and Cale, is something that he didn't have in Nashville, and could lift Ryan up to play to his potential. Nobody wants to be the new guy who isn't pulling their weight when the stars are.

But to your point, both need to prove it, before we bank on it, because they'll be counted on to be difference makers offensively, and they're coming off sub par seasons. If they don't play better then they have in the past, it's going to put the Avs in a tough spot again to win.

 

[Nihiliste]

Holy f*** @Sea Eagles and I actually agree on something, I don’t see how anyone could think the Avs’ window has closed.

This feels unnatural, back to disagreeing, Avs maybe be favorites but they were also favorites all of last year so that really doesn’t mean much, and until Drouin and RyJo prove otherwise they’re still just freshly thrown shit that CMac + the Sak are hoping sticks.

Now trade Girard for a real top6 winger and quite f***ing around with $5m 3rd pairing midget.

Keeping him at a 2 for now.

The thing is, no one wants to give us anything good for our 5m 3rd pairing midget

 

[Gumballhead]

The thing is, no one wants to give us anything good for our 5m 3rd pairing midget

I mean, we don't really know that at all right? I feel like the "proof" for this kind of thinking is that because he hasn't been traded we aren't able to find value for him. Do we even know he's been shopped or dangled? I can imagine his name coming up in potential deals but as tight-lipped as the Avs are we wouldn't find out until after something happened. I think we get to the point on this board that we think we are in the front office haha.

 

[CobraAcesS]

He said if the team remains healthy though, which they obviously didn't last year. And this year's healthy roster is shaping up to be better than last year's healthy roster.

Fair point on RyJo and Drouin though, even though I think both will fit well on the Avs stylistically and play much better than they did for prior teams.

I think Nate could single handedly make Drouin a better player, both on the ice, and off the ice. It's been reported that he tried to get Elliotte Freidman to talk him up in the past, and talked up both Jo as a person and a hockey player to Avs management. I think he really wants to see his buddy have success and could score 60 with Drouin playing a pure playmaker role, if they click together this year.

I think RyJo may be more motivated than at any other time in his career to prove his doubters, and Trotz wrong for not believing in him. I also think the Avs culture of excellence and expectation of winning and working their butt off that comes from both Bednar and the coaching staff, and their star players like Nate, Landy, and Cale, is something that he didn't have in Nashville, and could lift Ryan up to play to his potential. Nobody wants to be the new guy who isn't pulling their weight when the stars are.

But to your point, both need to prove it, before we bank on it, because they'll be counted on to be difference makers offensively, and they're coming off sub par seasons. If they don't play better then they have in the past, it's going to put the Avs in a tough spot again to win.

Based on Trotz interview he traded him for free to give him the best shot at winning. Trotz clearly respects Ryjo, or he's a damn good actor.

The idea Trotz dumped him with zero shits given should be put to bed. He had more value than that at 50%. We all knew that, and barely brought up the idea.

 

[Foppa2118]

Based on Trotz interview he traded him for free to give him the best shot at winning. Trotz clearly respects Ryjo, or he's a damn good actor.

The idea Trotz dumped him with zero shits given should be put to bed. He had more value than that at 50%. We all knew that, and barely brought up the idea.

Yeah but Trotz implied the moves he made were to change the culture. Which I'm sure didn't sit well with RyJo.

I don't think he was the problem with that team. He might not have been the solution, but not the problem. I just don't think they surrounded him with the right leadership. It would be like asking Burakovksy to be one of your leaders without Gabe, EJ, Nate, Cale, Cogs, etc on the team.

The Avs do have the right leadership, so we'll see what kind of impact that has on his game. Hopefully a positive one.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Yeah but Trotz implied the moves he made were to change the culture. Which I'm sure didn't sit well with RyJo.

I don't think he was the problem with that team. He might not have been the solution, but not the problem. I just don't think they surrounded him with the right leadership. It would be like asking Burakovksy to be one of your leaders without Gabe, EJ, Nate, Cale, Cogs, etc on the team.

The Avs do have the right leadership, so we'll see what kind of impact that has on his game. Hopefully a positive one.

That's true, the second part, but on the first part it's only part of what Trotz said. They're rebuilding, and obviously did not want two disgruntled top six players.

Rebuilding, and culture were used together. That's why they cut two fairly good players without trying to figure out how to maximize what little value they had.

We got the center, thank God.

I can't get over how perfect that was for us lol. Give Ryjo as cheap as possible both in assets and AAV to the only coach on the planet who has ever got the most out if him constantly.

Brah.. lol

 

[Hasbro]

I mean, we don't really know that at all right? I feel like the "proof" for this kind of thinking is that because he hasn't been traded we aren't able to find value for him. Do we even know he's been shopped or dangled? I can imagine his name coming up in potential deals but as tight-lipped as the Avs are we wouldn't find out until after something happened. I think we get to the point on this board that we think we are in the front office haha.

Have you paid attention to the trade market this offseason?

CMac flatout got given a player at 50% and that's not been unusual. Newhook was probably the second best return on a deal so far, be happy with that.

 

[Gumballhead]

Have you paid attention to the trade market this offseason?

CMac flatout got given a player at 50% and that's not been unusual. Newhook was probably the second best return on a deal so far, be happy with that.

Are you replying to the right reply? I was just musing that some here are assuming we can’t give G away when we don’t know if we’ve even tried.

 

[McMetal]

I think they're keeping Girard around because he's a useful middle pairing defenseman on a fair contract, and they don't trust Byram yet to stay healthy. If they trade Girard and Byram gets injured again, all of a sudden Jack Johnson is your second pairing LHD. I think if after this season they manage to keep Toews, and Byram stays off the IR, Girard might be trade bait. But for now, I think they're willing to risk paying him 5m to be on the third pair if it means insurance for injuries on that side. It's a luxury, and it may cost them a little bit in the forward depth department, but they've spent too much effort rebuilding the D to watch it potentially evaporate in a couple seasons.

I've always liked Girard, I think he's a good player in a middle pairing role and there would definitely be a market for him out there for teams that want to add some mobility and puck moving ability to their D corps. I'm willing to move him, but only for the right value, and only if we manage to keep Toews around in UFA. Otherwise I'm perfectly happy to keep him around, I love his skating and I think he's better than a lot of people around here seem to believe.

 

[GoNordiquesGo]

Your comments and concerns are completely valid. Don't let the head-in-the-sand optimism beat you down. Your skepticism is well founded.

The question is, if you're right in 5 months, will people do a mea culpa? If you bump this, they'll fake victimhood and gaslight you as the one being the jerk.

Skepticism is OK. Optimism is as well.
Its focusing only on one or the other that gets annoying.
With the cap, when you have superstars getting paid, you either have to get with certainty and lack depth, or go with uncertainty to get depth. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Those days are over. With every passing year, the strength of the line-up is expected to decrease a bit. The only way around is either with ELCs or with uncertainty, by geting production in excess of cap hit. And the Avs still have Girard as a wild card to re-balance the line-up at the deadline if things don't go as planned. They were expected to USE Girard in order to get where they are at now. They got there without using him, which I think is solid work. Now lets see what comes out of it and what is the best use of Girard at the deadline.

 

[Sea Eagles]

Skepticism is OK. Optimism is as well.
Its focusing only on one or the other that gets annoying.
With the cap, when you have superstars getting paid, you either have to get with certainty and lack depth, or go with uncertainty to get depth. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Those days are over. With every passing year, the strength of the line-up is expected to decrease a bit. The only way around is either with ELCs or with uncertainty, by geting production in excess of cap hit. And the Avs still have Girard as a wild card to re-balance the line-up at the deadline if things don't go as planned. They were expected to USE Girard in order to get where they are at now. They got there without using him, which I think is solid work. Now lets see what comes out of it and what is the best use of Girard at the deadline.

Think about it like this though, when weighing up optimism and/or skepticism:

2022-2023 (finished 7th overall) - 1st in the division
2020-2021 (finished 1st overall) - 1st in the division - won a Stanley Cup
2019-2020 (finished 3rd overall) - 2nd in the division

CMac and Super Joe have had to manage the contracts of elite stars like Landeskog, Mackinnon, Rantanen, Makar, with a whole heap of quality around them in a salary cap era.

This off season, CMac has added Drouin, Johansen, Colton, Wood, Malinski, Kovalenko & others, attained additional 1st round draft picks, and resigned players like Byram, Meyers & others (all within the constraints of that 83.5 million salary cap).

Where is the trepidation coming from? That we didn't win the cup back-to-back? Not many teams successfully navigate that feat. I just think Cmac has done an outSTANDING job here. I wouldn't even demean his efforts by calling them just "good". As the odds suggest, we are cup favorites again, and I'm in that same boat. Best team in the league - by a fair distance.