Speculation: 2013 - Free-agent Discussion

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Just read up on him a couple weeks ago, and wondered the same thing. Should definitely be explored.

Yeah, there's no way he plays outside of Ontario let alone Canada.

 

[Cypher]

If the Avs were to sign someone, I'd hope they go for Boyd Gordon, 29 y/o, last year of a 1.325 mill contract with PHX.

- 6th in the league among forwards on SH TOI
- 6th in the league in Face-off %

Top 2 Centres = Duchene + Stastny/ROR
Bottom 2 Centres = Mitchell + Gordon

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I hear D. Moore might be coming back, I want the avs to go after him.

 

[Avs_19]

Mitchell isn't very good and he should be on the fourth line. He was brought in to center the fourth line but that changed with the O'Reilly situation. Just like with Winnik, Sacco has fallen in love with him and he has him playing a lot more than he should be playing. We can't go into next season with Mitchell as the third line center. He's not that good on faceoffs, he isn't great defensively, and he doesn't use his linemates.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

If the Avs were to sign someone, I'd hope they go for Boyd Gordon, 29 y/o, last year of a 1.325 mill contract with PHX.

- 6th in the league among forwards on SH TOI
- 6th in the league in Face-off %

Top 2 Centres = Duchene + Stastny/ROR
Bottom 2 Centres = Mitchell + Gordon

100% agree.

Gordon would be a fantastic shutdown C on the 3rd line. Putting Mitchell on the 4th line where he probably belongs.

And, it would allow us to either:

A) Move Stastny for Defense help, and allow us to really load up on the Top 6.

B) Move Stastny to the wing, making a Landy - ROR - Stas 2nd line.

 

[Avs_19]

We would have no offense from our bottom two lines.

 

[AvsFanRCN]

Do people really think Elliott should start the year in the minors? I would have thought so too, but not after his recent stretch of strong play. We really could use his puck moving presence.

My one wish is Scuderi, but he's likely to cash in and I don't see us committing more than a couple of years to ANYONE. I would imagine we see Gonchar or Streit before we see Scuderi.

I agree, hes also our only defenceman right now who can consistantly get a shot through. As for free agents I'd love to see Streit here, I feel as though he would be good for mentoring Elliott and Barrie

 

[AslanRH]

Do people really think Elliott should start the year in the minors? I would have thought so too, but not after his recent stretch of strong play. We really could use his puck moving presence.

I hope Elliott makes the team, and after his recent play I have more hope he will, but I'm still thinking it will be a close call if he regresses even a little bit in camp. Unfortunately I would bet our defense to start the year to be

Wilson-EJ
Hejda-Barrie
Hunwick-FA
Zanon/SOB (one will get moved if a FA is signed)

Elliott/Siemens as 1st injury call ups

 

[Foppa2118]

Mitchell isn't very good and he should be on the fourth line. He was brought in to center the fourth line but that changed with the O'Reilly situation. Just like with Winnik, Sacco has fallen in love with him and he has him playing a lot more than he should be playing. We can't go into next season with Mitchell as the third line center. He's not that good on faceoffs, he isn't great defensively, and he doesn't use his linemates.

I don't think that's quite fair. He's a decent player, it's just that he's a bit of a tweener. He's been at his best centering the 3rd line, and mostly because he's smart offensively with the extra room, and has a great deceptive shot.

He's not that great defenisvely, he's about average, and he's not that physical, or much good on special teams. Plus, he's really only successful offensively on the rush. He doesn't drive the net much, or create much offense for himself or his linemates.

This kind of makes him fairly one dimensional, but I wouldn't say he isn't very good and should be on the 4th line. He's basically Arnason, if Arnason was a little better, worked a little harder, was a little more consistent, and could spot fill on the wing.

He should be ok for a 3rd line role of some sort next year if need be, but in the long term plans, they are going to have to look for a more multi dimensional player on the 3rd line. Especially at center if they move Stastny/O'Reilly.

 

[shadow1]

I hope Colorado steers clear of Rob Scuderi. It would take a big pay day to bring him to a last place team, and at 34 I question how much he has left in the tank. Is he a guy Colorado is going to want to pay $4-5 million a season when he's 37-39?

I think Ryane Clowe would be nice but you know he'll be overpaid. Ron Hainsey would be an upgrade on defense but at what cost?

Good teams are locking their assets up, leaving everyone else to fight over scraps.

 

[Christian Litscher]

Streit is the guy to target. Wouldn't mind Horton on another a similar 4X4 deal if they buy out Jones.

 

[PAZ]

I hope Colorado steers clear of Rob Scuderi. It would take a big pay day to bring him to a last place team, and at 34 I question how much he has left in the tank. Is he a guy Colorado is going to want to pay $4-5 million a season when he's 37-39?

I think Ryane Clowe would be nice but you know he'll be overpaid. Ron Hainsey would be an upgrade on defense but at what cost?

Good teams are locking their assets up, leaving everyone else to fight over scraps.

Disagree. Throw Scuderi a large short term contract. something like 2 yr/6 mil AAV.

 

[Nihiliste]

Streit and Horton are at the top of my list. I know that neither are likely to come here and Streit is on the wrong side of 35 but I think he could be a good vet for us the way Gonchar has been in Ottawa.

 

[CB Joe]

I don't see any realistic possibilities that would significantly help the Avs this season.

The best way to improve the team looks like it's going to be through trade. Hopefully the Avs can take on some good players teams can't afford.

 

[InjuredChoker]

What's your opinion on Filppula? How would he look on a line with Duchene and PAP??

Do not want at reported asking price (5 mil or more long-term).

If the price is closer to 4 or so, DET will probably re-sign him anyway.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Streit is the guy to target. Wouldn't mind Horton on another a similar 4X4 deal if they buy out Jones.

We are not getting Horton at 4x4.

 

[Stories]

Meh. We need to unload our dead weight first before signing more people.

 

[Ivan13]

Meh. We need to unload our dead weight first before signing more people.

Agreed and if we manage to do so I'd target Scuderi, Filppula and Gordon.

 

[Sheet]

We should send zanon through waivers once a week. Someone's bound to grab him. Same with jones.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Meh. We need to unload our dead weight first before signing more people.

At this point who do we call dead weight?`

Obvious, Jones and Zanon

Overpaid by little, Stastny, O'Brien(for his playing time this season, but we can blame sacco as well for this, I guess.)

Others I don't really have problem with. Of course ROR is overpaid too, but I don't count him in this discussion.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

We should send zanon through waivers once a week. Someone's bound to grab him. Same with jones.

Nobody is going to take Jones. No one wanted Jussi Jokinen, because he had contract left for next season, Jones has 3 years left and at higher price @4million. Good luck moving him for anything, we need to pay someone to take him. That's a fact.

Say whatever you want, but I think Zanon might bring us back some sort of draft pick next trade deadline (hahaha) same as O'Byrne. Veteran presence to playoff team (very important hahaha).

EDIT;

I think our best chance with Jones is to wait one more season, If he sucks after next season, I think he's done with Avalanche, he will be moved or bought out.

 

[Steelerkev1989]

I like the idea of going after Scuderi, Streit or both. Having guys with experience on your team is never a bad thing when you have such a young core, especially for players like Barrie and Elliott.

I didn't realise what good stats Gordon was putting up. If he can maintain that level through an 82 game season he would be a solid pick up for the 3rd or 4th line.

As for the rest there are the obvious choices like Horton but I really want to keep the faith that maybe our top 6 can produce... or am I just mad?

 

[Bubba Thudd]

I like the idea of going after Scuderi, Streit or both. Having guys with experience on your team is never a bad thing when you have such a young core, especially for players like Barrie and Elliott.

I didn't realise what good stats Gordon was putting up. If he can maintain that level through an 82 game season he would be a solid pick up for the 3rd or 4th line.

As for the rest there are the obvious choices like Horton but I really want to keep the faith that maybe our top 6 can produce... or am I just mad?

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I like the idea of going after Scuderi, Streit or both. Having guys with experience on your team is never a bad thing when you have such a young core, especially for players like Barrie and Elliott.

I didn't realise what good stats Gordon was putting up. If he can maintain that level through an 82 game season he would be a solid pick up for the 3rd or 4th line.

As for the rest there are the obvious choices like Horton but I really want to keep the faith that maybe our top 6 can produce... or am I just mad?

I agree. I think It would be good thing for Colorado. We need more veteran presence.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

Dead weight priority order:

1. Shane O'Brien - $2.00 M until 2015

A healthy scratch with disciplinary issues. Must go, even if we think he's better than Zanon/Hunwick/whoever. Signed for another 2 seasons as well. Handicap.

2. Greg Zanon - $2.25 M until 2014

A blocked shot machine and nothing else. Huge liability. One more year left at over $2m, get this guy out of my face.

3. David Jones - $4.00 M until 2016

Yikes. Okay, he can score 20 goals when he's playing well but that's about it. Not much else to his game and if we're keeping him and Stastny, that's over $10.5 M being spent on essentially 3rd liners.

4. Matt Hunwick - $1.6 M until 2014

I don't really care if he has played somewhat decent on the worst team in the National Hockey League. If we want to improve, he must go. Average offensively and well below average defensively. A liability. I don't like him even in a 5th/6th role, to be honest.

5. Paul Stastny - $6.60 M until 2014

I put him lower on the priority list of disposals because he still serves a purpose and, as much as I hate to admit it, we have to see what happens with O'Reilly first. This spot could very well be ROR's to be traded, who knows. Anyhow, Staz is a 50 point player now and Duchene/O'Reilly are the future as our 1/2. If he can't be re-signed at a decent price, say $5.5 M per, then it's time to go.

--

That's $16.45 M in salary/cap hit right there for next season, with guys like Jones owed $12 M on his contract. Our cap may look low and flexible right now, but these contracts will hamper us. Stastny's is very movable given the one year remaining, but still a consideration if we're re-signing him moving forward.

I've said it several times, but RFAs next summer...

Matt Duchene: $3.5 M right now, probably goes to $7 M
Ryan O'Reilly: $5 M cap hit, but $6.5 M qualifying offer next summer
Semyon Varlamov: $2.83 M cap hit, probably goes to $5 M
Gabriel Landeskog: $3.575 M cap hit, but probably goes to $5 M
Jamie McGinn: $1.75 M right now, probably goes to $3-3.5 M
Tyson Barrie: $0.90 M hit, probably goes up to $1.75 M short-term
Stefan Elliott: $0.90 M hit, probably goes up to $1.50 M short-term

Who knows about Joey Hishon, and there's Olver as well.

For UFAs (not including Staz):

Steve Downie: $2.65 M right now, Sherman fav but been injured twice for us now, to keep him probably will cost $3.5 M or so
J-S Giguere: $1.5 M next season, he will probably retire/leave though

Then junk like Mitchell and the aforementioned Zanon/Hunwick.

What I'm saying is that the guys we need to dump are guys who's contracts may hurt us next summer when we want to re-sign our core pieces. I have no reason to believe we will spend anywhere close to the cap until ownership is convinced and sees a playoff team, therefore we have to spend wisely.

I don't expect much in free agency, either.