Even when Mikko Rantanen signed a $96 million contract with the Dallas Stars shortly after being traded there in February, the free agent class of 2025 looked spicier than typical years.
Well, the past couple of days removed a lot of the seasoning.
Fifteen players have signed contracts worth $5 million per season or more in the past week, while veteran players Jamie Benn, Patrick Kane, John Tavares and Jonathan Toews have all agreed to deals below that threshold as well. Several of the big deals went to pending restricted free agents, but the top of the UFA class disappeared when Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and others took their names off the market.
The names might not be as big on Tuesday, but there are still plenty of teams with a lot of salary cap space as free agency opens in the NHL, so expect to see some not-elite players sign larger-than-expected contracts.
The Colorado Avalanche has a little bit of cap flexibility, but also several depth spots on the roster to fill. Don’t expect the Avs to get into a bidding war for any of the top names still available, but they could also make another trade to free up more cap space, fill one or more of those holes or both.
Colorado does have several players hitting the free agent market Tuesday, including forwards Jonathan Drouin, Joel Kiviranta and Jimmy Vesey, plus defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Erik Johnson.
Here’s where the Avalanche depth chart stands the morning of July 1, before the free agent frenzy gets started:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Parker Kelly ??? – ??? – ???
Internal options: Ivan Ivan, Nikita Prischepov, Zakhar Bardakov, Matthew Stienburg, Jason Polin
Devon Toews – Cale Makar Samuel Girard – Josh Manson ??? – Sam Malinski
Internal options: Keaton Middleton, Wyatt Aamodt, Jacob MacDonald
Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood Trent Miner
Injured: Logan O’Connor (hip)
And here’s some reading material to get updated on the Avs’ offseason to
Avs sign RFA Sam Malinski
Avs have clarity, cap flexibility … and could be patient
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