Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Jonathan Drouin (1 year, 825k)

[AvsMakar08]

If we cannot afford to resign Drouin then maybe after the playoffs are done we can trade him to another team for his rights. Maybe we can get a 1st rounder back or 2 second round picks back as he seems now to be valued as a top 6 player. There might be more teams in a bidding war to get a top 6 line player who can put up 60 - 70 points.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

If we cannot afford to resign Drouin then maybe after the playoffs are done we can trade him to another team for his rights. Maybe we can get a 1st rounder back or 2 second round picks back as he seems now to be valued as a top 6 player. There might be more teams in a bidding war to get a top 6 line player who can put up 60 - 70 points.

What lol

 

[AvsMakar08]

What lol

We cant loose Drouin for nothing. We can sell him to the highest bidder before the auction starts just to get some assets in return.

 

[JH21]

But his play the back half of the season didn’t?

Yes, he’s been great but where does he play in the top 6 if Landeskog comes back and can we afford him?

Does Landy play on the 3rd line?

I’m sure Girard and Georgiev will have to go but:

Drouin- Mackinnon- Lehkonen
Nichushkin- Mitts- Rantanen
Landeskog- Colton- Kovalenko
Wood- Wagner- O’Connor

Toews - Makar
Manson

Annunen

 

[The Kingslayer]

Yes, he’s been great but where does he play in the top 6 if Landeskog comes back and can we afford him?

Does Landy play on the 3rd line?

I’m sure Girard and Georgiev will have to go but:

Drouin- Mackinnon- Lehkonen
Nichushkin- Mitts- Rantanen
Landeskog- Colton- Kovalenko
Wood- Wagner- O’Connor

Toews - Makar
Manson

Annunen

Good point. I suppose you can drop Lehkonen to the 3rd line but I dont know. I really like Lehkonen in the top 6.

 

[cinchronicity]

Yes, he’s been great but where does he play in the top 6 if Landeskog comes back and can we afford him?

Does Landy play on the 3rd line?

I’m sure Girard and Georgiev will have to go but:

Drouin- Mackinnon- Lehkonen
Nichushkin- Mitts- Rantanen
Landeskog- Colton- Kovalenko
Wood- Wagner- O’Connor

Toews - Makar
Manson

Annunen

Just tossing this out there:

I think that your 1st and 2nd lines are spot on. What about having Landy center the 3rd line?

LOC - Landy - Kovalenko

This allows the Avs to move Colton. That might be unpopular. I do understand the argument that they would be crazy to move a 3C. But Landy as 3C would make that a formidable line. It would give Kovalenko a mentor. LOC can play either side.

If we can move Colton for futures, His $4M can go to Drouin and the other $1M can be used to get something more than league-minimum guys on the 4th line. I don't think Drouin at $4M x 7 is a bad deal. Or maybe $3.75M in order to avoid the $250,000 meme around here.


This is just part of the moves necessary. It is not ideal, but replacing Sammy with Walker would generate some cap room. The net might need to be Annunen / Provy to save a little more. Next year is a contract year for LOC and he is another one I just do not want to move.

CMac is turning out to be an alchemist - turning cast-offs like Nuke, Lehky and Drouin into gold. I simply think that the AVS MUST re-sign Drouin at virtually all costs.

 

[Freaky Styley]

Yes, he’s been great but where does he play in the top 6 if Landeskog comes back and can we afford him?

Maybe we look at trading Rantanen? If Drouin can get you 3/4 of Rantanen's production for 1/3 of the price, it has to be considered, doesn't it? Just a thought.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

CMac is turning out to be an alchemist - turning cast-offs like Nuke, Lehky and Drouin into gold. I simply think that the AVS MUST re-sign Drouin at virtually all costs.

 

[Bensch88]

Fast becoming one of my favourite players on the team

 

[The Abusement Park]

Just tossing this out there:

I think that your 1st and 2nd lines are spot on. What about having Landy center the 3rd line?

LOC - Landy - Kovalenko

This allows the Avs to move Colton. That might be unpopular. I do understand the argument that they would be crazy to move a 3C. But Landy as 3C would make that a formidable line. It would give Kovalenko a mentor. LOC can play either side.

If we can move Colton for futures, His $4M can go to Drouin and the other $1M can be used to get something more than league-minimum guys on the 4th line. I don't think Drouin at $4M x 7 is a bad deal. Or maybe $3.75M in order to avoid the $250,000 meme around here.


This is just part of the moves necessary. It is not ideal, but replacing Sammy with Walker would generate some cap room. The net might need to be Annunen / Provy to save a little more. Next year is a contract year for LOC and he is another one I just do not want to move.

CMac is turning out to be an alchemist - turning cast-offs like Nuke, Lehky and Drouin into gold. I simply think that the AVS MUST re-sign Drouin at virtually all costs.

So we’re having Landy come back from a surgery that may or may not work, to play a position he’s never played before in the playoffs?

 

[LTCPain75]

Maybe we look at trading Rantanen? If Drouin can get you 3/4 of Rantanen's production for 1/3 of the price, it has to be considered, doesn't it? Just a thought.

I was thinking the same thing

 

[ABasin]

Yes, he’s been great but where does he play in the top 6 if Landeskog comes back and can we afford him?

Does Landy play on the 3rd line?

I’m sure Girard and Georgiev will have to go but:

Drouin- Mackinnon- Lehkonen
Nichushkin- Mitts- Rantanen
Landeskog- Colton- Kovalenko
Wood- Wagner- O’Connor

Toews - Makar
Manson

Annunen

(Assumptions: Drouin at $4M, Mitts at $5M, Wagner and all depth players are <$1M. Not at all sure we'd get Drouin at Mitts at those prices, but...)

Using this as a basis, you could fit it under the cap.

But that defense is not a Cup-contending one, filling out the last 3 spots with sub $1M salaries. I still believe that the Avs will want/need a $3-5M 2nd pairing defenseman, at the expense of a $3-5M wing.

And Annunen has not proven that he can carry a team either. Need another option there, likely North of $2M.

 

[Muffin]

We cant loose Drouin for nothing. We can sell him to the highest bidder before the auction starts just to get some assets in return.

No one is paying for an UFA in a month . You'd be lucky to get a 7th round pick. Where do people think up these things, you can't even do that in NHL 24.

 

[Grigowski]

So Drouin loves it here, wants to stay. Ok. at least there should be some kind of discount. But i fear it still will not be enough...

 

[JH21]

(Assumptions: Drouin at $4M, Mitts at $5M, Wagner and all depth players are <$1M. Not at all sure we'd get Drouin at Mitts at those prices, but...)

Using this as a basis, you could fit it under the cap.

But that defense is not a Cup-contending one, filling out the last 3 spots with sub $1M salaries. I still believe that the Avs will want/need a $3-5M 2nd pairing defenseman, at the expense of a $3-5M wing.

And Annunen has not proven that he can carry a team either. Need another option there, likely North of $2M.

Well if we keep Drouin I think Georgiev and Girard need to go.

Just spitballing and someone better double check my math but:

Sign Drouin and Mittlestadt to matching 3 x 5 mil contracts.

*Trade

G- Alexandar Georgiev
LD- Sam Girard

to Montreal for

G- Cayden Primeau (890 x 2)
LD- Jordan Harris (1.400 x2)
C- Owen Beck

Drouin (5) Mackinnon (12.6) Lehkonen (4.5)
Nichushkin (6.125) Mittlestadt (5) Rantanen (9.250)
Landeskog (7) Colton (4) Kovalenko (895)
Wood (2.5) Wagner (895) O’Connor (1.050)

Toews (7.25) Makar (9)
Harris (1.4) Manson (4.5)
2 x 950

Annunen (833)
Primeau (890)

Contracts - 83,188,000
Salary cap - $87,700,000
Space- $4,512,000 (minus 1 or 2 reserve guys)

 

[ABasin]

I don't know why we keep seeing so many posts around keeping Drouin, keeping Walker, etc - without corresponding salary dumps of other existing players. The league does have a salary cap, and has for some time now. It's like no one wants to do the basic math.

Bottom Line #1: Even without resigning Drouin or Walker, the Avs need to dump a current salary.

Right now, the Avs have 14 starters signed for next season, including Landeskog. Total cap used = $77M. $10.5M left in cap space, need to sign 8 or 9 more players (22 or 23 man roster). Let's go with the 22 man roster, to make it as good as possible for Colorado, so 8 players.

Mittelstadt is a must, and will eat up $5-6M. Let's say $5.5M. Then they'd have 15 players signed. Total cap used = $82.5M. $5M left in cap space, need to sign 7 more players for a 22 man roster (which would be below the league minimum on average for those 7 salaries).

*** THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT DUMPING A CURRENT SALARY ***


Bottom Line #2: Every $4Mish salaried player the Avs add, they would then need to remove a corresponding $4Mish salaried player also.

If they want to resign just Mittelstadt, they can't ice a 22 man roster next season, without dumping a current salary.

If they want to resign Drouin OR Walker (and Mittelstadt), they need to dump TWO current salaries.

If they want to add Drouin AND Walker (and Mittelstadt), they need to dump THREE current salaries.



.....unless of course they do LTIR with Landeskog and/or Makar. Either/both would change this significantly.

 

[cinchronicity]

So we’re having Landy come back from a surgery that may or may not work, to play a position he’s never played before in the playoffs?

My scenario concerns next year, not this year. Thus the inclusion of LOC and Kovalenko. It would also be difficult to make the trades mentioned with 3 games left in this season. Given that Landy historically did many of the 1C duties in 9296, it would not be a huge stretch for him to play 3C after a training camp and a few weeks early in the season. An unorthodox idea? Yes. Impossible? No. Allows the team to keep Drouin at a value price? That was the whole point.

 

[The Abusement Park]

My scenario concerns next year, not this year. Thus the inclusion of LOC and Kovalenko. It would also be difficult to make the trades mentioned with 3 games left in this season. Given that Landy historically did many of the 1C duties in 9296, it would not be a huge stretch for him to play 3C after a training camp and a few weeks early in the season. An unorthodox idea? Yes. Impossible? No. Allows the team to keep Drouin at a value price? That was the whole point.

I mean he did faceoffs and took some of the defensive roles a C would when he was here, but in the end that’s still a hybrid C role and different than playing there full time. Maybe that’s something he could’ve transitioned to without the knee injury, but asking him to comeback from a surgery that isn’t guaranteed to work(from an athletic standpoint)and change his position to a harder one is a crazy ask.

 

[ABasin]

Well if we keep Drouin I think Georgiev and Girard need to go.

Just spitballing and someone better double check my math but:

Sign Drouin and Mittlestadt to matching 3 x 5 mil contracts.

*Trade

G- Alexandar Georgiev
LD- Sam Girard

to Montreal for

G- Cayden Primeau (890 x 2)
LD- Jordan Harris (1.400 x2)
C- Owen Beck

Drouin (5) Mackinnon (12.6) Lehkonen (4.5)
Nichushkin (6.125) Mittlestadt (5) Rantanen (9.250)
Landeskog (7) Colton (4) Kovalenko (895)
Wood (2.5) Wagner (895) O’Connor (1.050)

Toews (7.25) Makar (9)
Harris (1.4) Manson (4.5)
2 x 950

Annunen (833)
Primeau (890)

Contracts - 83,188,000
Salary cap - $87,700,000
Space- $4,512,000 (minus 1 or 2 reserve guys)

The math is wrong. Actual number is $84.59M.

But under the cap!

And since it's only a 20 man roster, you could fit a couple of scrub bench salaries and stay under the cap. All good.

I appreciate that you put forth that a salary needs to be moved aside for Mitts, and another salary needs to be moved aside for Drouin (Georgiev and Girard, in this case). There's really no way around this.

The problem with this scenario, is that while the center and wing positions are quite solid, not only is the defense weakened, the goaltending is as well (essentially two rookies).


**** Now, before I go further, I want to assure you that what I'm about to say is not meant to antagonize you. Please try to keep that in mind. It's just an opinion. ****


But I think this is why quite a number of people are open to trading Rantanen. I believe that a number of people prefer a path where the team has no glaring weaknesses, even if it makes the wing position no longer elite.

For example, one could put forth a scenario where the Avs sign Mitts and Drouin, but then have to move out Girard and Lehkonen. Similar to the one you wrote above, but it doesn't weaken the goaltending position down to two rookies. It does weaken the defense significantly though. Wing and Center are solid.

But if the Avs moved Rantanen, then they wouldn't have to trade Lehkonen or Girard, and could resign Drouin. There's no doubt that the Avs wing position wouldn't be as good, but if they could ice Nichushkin-Drouin-Lehkonen-Landeskog(healthy), that's a pretty good set of top 4 wings. And the defense (top 4) and goaltending are intact as is.

In essence, I think some people believe that it might be advantageous having no team positional weakness and a solid set of top 4 wings vs. having one or two team positional weaknesses and an elite set of top 4 wings.

You may agree or disagree, but I believe it's a worthy debate.

 

[Barklez]

Say Rantanen gets moved. In what world does the return package for a player of his quality not involve one (or more) player coming back at at least ~$5m?

 

[cinchronicity]

Say Rantanen gets moved. In what world does the return package for a player of his quality not involve one (or more) player coming back at at least ~$5m?

Those on Team Trade Mikko have always assumed that a decent young wing would come back, with the remaining ~8M being distributed to Mitts, Drouin, Duhaime, Walker and LOC ( he is a UFA after next season.) That said, if Landy returns you could end up with

Drouin - Mac - Lehky
Landy - Mitts - Nuke
Wood - Colton - LOC ( Roaring 20's line)
Duhaime - Wagner - Kovalenko

If Landy comes back and can play to his historical standards ( 2 big IFs, I know) then getting a Top 6 wing might not be necessary. That Top 9 is pretty strong, especially since the Roaring 20's seem to suck without LOC. In that case, a return of serious prospects and picks would be helpful. Remember that Ritchie and Gulyayev both appear to be on course to earn Top 9 slots by 25/26.

This is a cap world. Mikko is a Top 20 player in the NHL ( some would say Top 10.) I've yet to hear anyone on this forum say that losing such a player is their first choice. The point is that opponents - especially on away games - can concentrate on stifling 9296, and not even worrying about the crap bottom 9.

I'll be honest; if Landy does not return, I still investigate possible hauls for Mikko anyway. In no way am I - or Team Trade Mikko - saying to just give Mikko away. But remember, also, that Mikko could leave as a UFA after this year, if someone bids $13M or more. Then the Avs get nothing aside from 1 more run at the playoffs. If you track this forum back, many will say that Drouin's level of play might play him right off the Avs cap room. Well, the same could be said for Mikko. As I have said in other threads here, in business, everyone is trade bait. I can't imagine getting a package that would move Makar or Mac, but it does not hurt CMac to listen to overtures.

 

[Pokecheque]

We cant loose Drouin for nothing. We can sell him to the highest bidder before the auction starts just to get some assets in return.

No, the best you could possibly get is a low draft pick. And no one's going to give that up for a guy who will likely be testing the market anyway. If he walks he walks, the team can most certainly afford to lose him for nothing, since they did not give up any assets to acquire him in the first place. It'd be a bummer, yes, but that doesn't mean they have to recoup assets by any means possible.

 

[Balthazar]

Say Rantanen gets moved. In what world does the return package for a player of his quality not involve one (or more) player coming back at at least ~$5m?

If you trade Rants you basically swap him for Landy so there's no need for immediate help in return. High draft picks and/or high end prospects would do.

The current team cannot afford Landeskog but he's still coming back.

 

[Spirits]

If we cannot afford to resign Drouin then maybe after the playoffs are done we can trade him to another team for his rights.

Huh?

The current team cannot afford Landeskog but he's still coming back.

Are we sure he is coming back?

 

[JH21]

Those on Team Trade Mikko have always assumed that a decent young wing would come back, with the remaining ~8M being distributed to Mitts, Drouin, Duhaime, Walker and LOC ( he is a UFA after next season.) That said, if Landy returns you could end up with

Drouin - Mac - Lehky
Landy - Mitts - Nuke
Wood - Colton - LOC ( Roaring 20's line)
Duhaime - Wagner - Kovalenko

If Landy comes back and can play to his historical standards ( 2 big IFs, I know) then getting a Top 6 wing might not be necessary. That Top 9 is pretty strong, especially since the Roaring 20's seem to suck without LOC. In that case, a return of serious prospects and picks would be helpful. Remember that Ritchie and Gulyayev both appear to be on course to earn Top 9 slots by 25/26.

This is a cap world. Mikko is a Top 20 player in the NHL ( some would say Top 10.) I've yet to hear anyone on this forum say that losing such a player is their first choice. The point is that opponents - especially on away games - can concentrate on stifling 9296, and not even worrying about the crap bottom 9.

I'll be honest; if Landy does not return, I still investigate possible hauls for Mikko anyway. In no way am I - or Team Trade Mikko - saying to just give Mikko away. But remember, also, that Mikko could leave as a UFA after this year, if someone bids $13M or more. Then the Avs get nothing aside from 1 more run at the playoffs. If you track this forum back, many will say that Drouin's level of play might play him right off the Avs cap room. Well, the same could be said for Mikko. As I have said in other threads here, in business, everyone is trade bait. I can't imagine getting a package that would move Makar or Mac, but it does not hurt CMac to listen to overtures.

Rantanen won’t hit the market. There’s no chance.

Also, the feeling in here is that the return for Rantanen will have to be picks and prospects. So basically a bunch of lottery tickets for a top 10 player in the league. I will pass thanks.

Guys like Girard, Manson and Georgiev will go before Rantanen.