Denver Post sports writer Corey Masisak opens up the Avs Mailbag periodically throughout the season. Pose an Avalanche- or NHL-related question for the Avs Mailbag.
Are the Avs still fundamentally content with the speed-centric build of the team, or are there inklings of wanting to get bigger and more physical to keep up in the playoffs?
— GunsmithSnek on Reddit
I think trying to get bigger and finding more players who fit the idea of “playoff hockey” has been happening for at least two years now, but the Avs also aren’t going to drastically change their identity under Jared Bednar, either.
Two seasons ago, the Avs added Yakov Trenin and Brandon Duhaime at the deadline with that idea in mind. Remaking the center depth chart with Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle and Jack Drury this past season was a nod toward playoff hockey as well. Nelson fits both ideas: He’s big and can handle himself in the physical areas of the ice, but he’s also fast and skilled. Drury, plus defenseman Ryan Lindgren, are not big but excel at the physical parts of the game.
It’s a delicate balance. The Panthers are a physical, mean team. But they’re also extremely talented. Trying to load up on one aspect of that while neglecting the other is not going to lead to success.
The Avalanche, Lightning and Penguins have still won five of the past nine (soon to be 10) championships. Vegas and now Florida have helped bring more attention to the size debate.
Every team wants forwards like Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, and defensemen like Alex Pietrangelo. But the number of players who fit the “playoff” mold and are also still really good at hockey is limited.
You mentioned a buyout scenario for Miles Wood: What is the scenario for waivers and burying his salary with the Eagles if Wood is unclaimed? What are the salary projections for Lindgren, Jonathan Drouin and Joel Kiviranta on the open market?
— Steve, Centennial
If a player on a one-way contract is put on waivers and unclaimed, an NHL team can save what the current veteran minimum is plus $375,000. The league minimum for next year is $775,000, so “burying” a salary in the minors can save $1.15 million in cap space.
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Here are the contract projections from AFP Analytics:
• Lindgren: three years, $4.027 million per
• Drouin: three years, $5.024 million per
• Kiviranta: two years, $1.094 million per
If the Avs could sign Kiviranta for two years at $1.1 million, that contract would already be done. He could, and probably should, get a little more than that. I think all three guys could probably get an extra year on the open market, but the money for Lindgren and Drouin feels about right. Maybe they get closer to $4.5 million and $5.5 million if a few teams get involved in a bidding war.
For the Avs to bring either of them back, someone making that much is going to have to be shipped out. Of the three, I still think the odds of Kiviranta returning are a bit higher.
Who is currently under contract that is most likely to be playing for another team by the 2026 trade deadline?
— DoctaMan on Reddit
I think the most likely is Ross Colton, if only because he is in the “sweet spot” of being on a reasonable, market-value contract with real trade value but also not likely to be in the Avs’ top six. He’s a valuable player and a bit of a swiss-army knife but looks like a bit of luxury on a team with cap issues and defensive depth issues.
But there’s a group of names that could fit here: Coyle, Martin Necas, Samuel Girard, Josh Manson. There’s been a lot of chatter about who might be available from the Avs right now, which leads me to some context that needs to be pointed out.
When a member of the media says they are hearing that Player X is available, or has been mentioned in trade discussions, that doesn’t mean his team is actively shopping him. If another general manager calls Chris MacFarland and asks about a player, he has now been mentioned in trade discussions.
Sources have to be protected, and we don’t know if that info is coming from an Avs source or someone with the other team. Or what the motivation is for said source to give said information to the reporter.
There is also the matter of Colorado’s current salary cap situation. Everyone, including the other 31 teams, can look at one of the two cap websites or their own internal database and see that the Avs are a team in a tight squeeze. It makes sense for other clubs to reach out and see who might be available.
Conversely, it makes sense for MacFarland to canvas some other GMs and see what the market might be for any of about eight or nine players on his roster. That doesn’t mean he’s going to trade any or all of them.
But their names are now in trade discussions, and that info is often going to get out there, even if the Avs have a well-earned reputation around the league for being more buttoned up with information than most.
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