1) Extend MacKinnon - 8x whatever he wants. Hopefully around 10M which would match Barkov and let COL build a deeper team around him
2) Sign Nichushkin before he goes to market. Id go up to 6M AAV. Lets say 6x6
3) Find a goalie - dont want to wait too long and be forced to overpay again like last season. Some options: extend Kuemper (~5M), Ullmark via trade, Varlamov via trade, Bobrovsky 50% retained via trade, Holtby via UFA (~2M)
4) See if Kadri is willing to take a discount to stay. Avs probably wont be the highest bidder but if Kadri will take ~7M on a medium term deal then something could get done
5) Extend pending UFAs: Try to bring back Manson at ~3.5M AAV, check in on Helm and Cogliano to see if they are retiring, if not then offer 1x1M
6) Qualify/Extend RFAs: Sign Lehkonen with term. Im thinking around 4x4M. Maltsev, Bowers, and possibly Aube-Kubel are the others who should be qualified
7) Hunt for value UFAs. Giroux, Mikheyev, Marchment, Stastny, Edler, Maatta, Rodrigues, Namestnikov, Jarnkrok, Kulak, Cousins, Stepan, Rutta, Raffl, Aston-Reese, Lyubushkin, De Haan, Neal. Player interest should be high with COL coming off of a cup win - find the highest value for the money and get a few of them
8) Check in with Byram and Newhook to see if they are willing to sign bridge deals this offseason. I would do a Girard-esque extension with Byram if he's willing
9) Check the trade market for Samuel Girard. If they can get a decent haul for him then Id pull the trigger, if not then keep him for another year and build his value back up with a good year after recovering from his back and sternum injuries
10) Check the trade market and move Erik Johnson to open up some cap space if needed
11) Find undervalued players and target them via trade if it makes sense. Puljujarvi, Soucy, Bear, etc.
12) Decide which reserve list players to offer a contract to. Tyler Weiss is the only one who needs to be signed this offseason, but if some others decide to go pro they could be signed now too.
I gotta believe the Sabres can do better than EJ. That guy on any team that isn't stacked like Colorado is more or less american ristolainen
@UpsideDownQue Watching EJ skate around the rink one last time last night looked an awful lot like a guy who will seriously consider going out on top and retiring this year, especially when you consider he nearly retired last year.
Tend to think Manson will go back to Anaheim to get more money, but we'll see. Giroux is a total wild card, but damn if that wouldn't be a great get.
UpsideDownQue Watching EJ skate around the rink one last time last night looked an awful lot like a guy who will seriously consider going out on top and retiring this year, especially when you consider he nearly retired last year.
Tend to think Manson will go back to Anaheim to get more money, but we'll see. Giroux is a total wild card, but damn if that wouldn't be a great get.
I thought maybe his salary was lower than cap hit this coming year, but its still a cool 6 mil. I don't think he's retiring.
Manson is gonna leave if they don’t offer more. Anaheim probably offers $4.5M AAV. MacKinnon should get $11-11.5M AAV, he literally brought them to the promise land, Barkov has one series win to his name. Realistically, Avs have a 5 year window. once Makar expires he’ll go to Calgary, Mack will be half way done with his deal, the core will all be older or gone and younger/rebuilt teams like Arizona or the California teams will run the West.
The description is the best part of this. Team isn't bad either, but I will say the following:
-Unless EJ is moved to like Anaheim or wherever he lives and races horses, I think he stays. I could even see him taking the old one year vet min salary for another year after his current contract.
-Tons of disagreement to be had here, but I think Kadri stays as well.
-Include Girard on the "sticks around" list. It's possible Toews prices himself out of Colorado. If that happens, having Girard on his deal will be huge.
-I think Manson was a rental. He'll likely want too much money and term.
-De Haan makes a lot of sense (imo), and Bear might as well. Also like the Soucy target if they go through trade.
-I'd say sign Helm or Cogs instead of Raffl for continuity.
-Stastny is gonna happen. He just watched DU win the NCAA and the Avs win the Cup. You can't tell me he isn't thinking about it, haha.
I gotta believe the Sabres can do better than EJ. That guy on any team that isn't stacked like Colorado is more or less american ristolainen
I will not disagree with your assessment, EJ hits, blocks shots and PK's which he would do regardless of which team's uniform he is wearing.
Look at the return the Sabres got for Ristolainen.
With 50% retention at the TDL a RHD with his resume and ring could return a late first.
I would make this trade as he would be a good partner for Cozens.
I may try to send a player rather than the picks.