Avalanche Report

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Avalanche Report

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New GM hopes to steer Avs back to relevance

The Colorado Avalanche have shown a special kind of futility in Eastside's Hockey Elite Collide, missing the playoffs for the first 10 years of the league's existence.

They've hired a new GM who hopes to turn that around.

Veteran EHM hack Josh Lewis was announced as the new hand at the Avs' rudder at a press conference last week, halfway through the season.

With Colorado firmly in the bottom 10 teams in the league this year, it remains to be seen how much of an impact Lewis can make until the off-season. But he said he's focused on long-term success rather than any quick fixes.

"Despite this team's recent history, there is actually a decent core here, when you consider some good players who have inexplicably been playing in the AHL," Lewis told the Denver media. "This isn't a team that's at the bottom of the barrel. There will be more pain before long-term gain, but we're not that far away from icing a solid team. I see this club returning to the playoffs within a year or two and we hope to set ourselves up to contend on a perennial basis."

Lewis has already made his first trade, shipping defenceman Michael Downing to the Montreal Canadiens for defenceman Jacob Larsson and a fourth round pick in 2020.

"We have a major glut of defencemen on the roster and none of them are exempt from waivers, so it's preventing us from calling up a couple of forwards who should be on this roster," Lewis said.

"Larsson can be sent down without waivers, allowing us to call up Jake Virtanen or Mackenzie Entwistle. Once we clear a couple of spots on the blueline, Larsson can then join the team."

Downing has a goal and 11 assists in 53 games with the Avs this year. Larsson has appeared in 15 games with the Habs, posting three points.
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Re: Avalanche Report

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Avs begin reshaping roster with trio of Tuesday trades

New Colorado Avalanche GM Josh Lewis has been on the job for less than a week, but he's already showing his intention to make big changes.

After shipping Michael Downing to Montreal late Sunday night, Lewis went on the trade offensive on Tuesday with three significant deals. They remain unofficial until approved by the league office.

First, the Avs traded Philadelphia's third-round pick in 2020 to the Nashville Predators for forward Ivan Barbashev. The 24-year-old Russian has just seven points in 29 games this year, but Lewis said he sees big potential in him.

"Ivan is a solid top 9 player right now, but with a bit more development he has the ability to become a star," Lewis said. "He can play centre or left wing and is a wizard with the puck on his stick, whether it's slick passing to set up goals or finding open space to maintain puck possession. We also believe he can be a better defensive player than he's shown to date."

Colorado still has their own third-rounder in this year's draft.

Next, the Avs traded defencemen Roland McKeown and Derek Forbort to the Dallas Stars for star winger Michael Frolik and centre Ryan Martindale. This solves the team's logjam on defence, but creates one up front.

"Now we have too many forwards, but these were two players we couldn't pass up," Lewis said. "We approached the Stars with Martindale as our target, a solid defensive centre to steady our bottom six. They offered up Frolik in part due to his large salary, which we can afford to take on. Some may say a retooling team shouldn't be trading for a 31-year-old, but it's the kind of talent infusion you can't say no to.

"Forbort was tough to part with, but there's an abundance of offence on our back end and we can bring up Jacob Larsson to replace him."

Larsson was recently acquired from the Montreal Canadiens. Colorado made a second deal with the Habs on Tuesday afternoon, trading veteran grinder Milan Michalek for teenage rookie centre Ty Dellandrea and defence prospect Case McCarthy.

"Michalek is the kind of responsible forward that every coach loves," Lewis said. "But the reality is he's 35 and doesn't fit into the direction of the team. Dellandrea, at 19, is already a dependable two-way centre. McCarthy is a bit of a project but we believe he can be a solid NHL defenceman eventually."
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Avalanche make two more moves to finish Tuesday flurry

It turns out the Colorado Avalanche made no fewer than five trades on Tuesday.

It was a hectic day for new GM Josh Lewis, who was working the phones with about a third of the league throughout the day.

After making three deals earlier on Tuesday, Lewis swung a megadeal with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the evening that brought Mitch Marner to Denver.

The Avs gave up star right winger Hunter Shinkaruk, depth winger David Elsner and defence prospect Anttoni Honka for Marner, also a right winger, and forward prospect Jesse Ylonen.

"For us, Marner is a bit younger, a bit more responsible defensively and still has a bit of room to grow, so that made him more valuable to us than Shinkaruk," Lewis said.

"There was simply no room for Elsner after our moves earlier in the day, and we're happy with the prospect swap. Honka is an offensive defenceman who can't defend, which meant there was no future for him here. Ylonen needs a lot of work defensively, but he's only 20 and we're confident he can be a top 6 or top 9 forward in the future."

The Pens drafted Ylonen 95th overall in the 2018 draft, while Honka was taken 74th overall in last year's draft by the Avs, under previous management.

Later, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, the Avalanche shipped grinder Adam Lowry to the San Jose Sharks for forward prospects Simon Holmstrom and Lukas Vejdemo.

"Lowry isn't a guy we were actively shopping, but when the Sharks asked about him we saw a chance to add a really good prospect in Holmstrom for a guy who didn't fit into our top 9," Lewis said. "Holmstrom has the potential to be an all-around offensive threat at the NHL level with decent defensive acumen, meaning he'll be able to play the wing on almost any line."

Holmstrom, 18, was selected in the third round, 90th overall, by San Jose in the 2019 draft. Vejdemo, 23, was originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round of the 2015 draft.

"Vejdemo was a bit of a throw-in, but we see bottom six potential in him," Lewis said. "He's never going to be much of a scorer but has the ability to throw some ferocious hits, so he could be a decent energy guy."

Vejdemo has struggled in limited action this year, posting one assist in 20 games with the Sharks and going pointless in 11 games with the Cleveland Barons of the AHL.

Meanwhile, sources say the Avs continue to shop right winger Jake Virtanen, who has not seen any action with the AHL's Hershey Bears this year but has a lethal shot and would make a strong addition to the top 6 for many teams.
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Re: Avalanche Report

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Avalanche Prospect Report: 2019-20

Ranking the Colorado Avalanche's pool of prospects is difficult right now because pretty much all of them have not-so-tiny flaws - whether it's smurfs who couldn't hit their way out of a wet paper bag, ruining an otherwise great prospect; guys with actual potential whose time is starting to run out and there's no opportunity for them in Colorado; rover-type defencemen who are all tire fires in their own end and maybe not even that great offensively; or guys who just plain suck.

The most difficult challenge was figuring out which of these guys is worthy of being called No. 1. Quantity over quality seems to have been the slogan of previous (full-time) GMs, when they weren't trading the picks away, of course. But having a lot of depth is a plus.

1. Matthew Freytag, LW - drafted 20th overall in 2016
Well, the organization hasn't had a single first round pick since Freytag was drafted. It looks like he's got previous experience with the big club, but he's spent this whole year so far in the AHL so he fits our arbitrary criteria. Freytag tops out as a good all-around second line winger who doesn't completely ignore the defensive zone, but he's an inch shy of being able to hit. Unlike some older prospects in the Avs' system, Freytag is not far off from hitting his ceilings. He just needs a bit of ice time. Colorado is still shopping a couple of forwards, so he may get that soon.

2. Jesse Ylonen, RW - drafted 95th overall in 2018 by PIT
Ylonen isn't anything really special, but a solid top 6 offensive threat who is just pedestrian in the defensive third. Another soft non-contact winger though. Unlike the afore-mentioned older prospects, age is on his side.

3. Simon Stransky, LW - drafted 64th overall in 2016
Stransky is four years removed from his draft year and is pretty much NHL-ready. The issue is finding room for him in the lineup, so he'll stay with Hershey for now. He's defined by his shot and strong man-to-man defensive coverage.

4. Jacob Larsson, D - drafted 34th overall in 2015 by FLA
Larsson is with the Avs right now after the recent trade from Montreal, but he's got only 15 NHL games under his belt so we'll count him as a prospect. Larsson is pretty well fully developed and poised to take a third-pairing spot. He's a solid defender and has the hands to be able to carry the puck through transition.

5. Jack Roslovic, RW - drafted 61st overall in 2015
Roslovic has taken a while to come around, but dominated the AHL last year with 53 goals and 131 points. He's got a bit more work to do on the defensive end, but needs an NHL opportunity to develop his trademark shot. Another softie in the hitting department.

6. Nikolay Goldobin, RW - drafted 29th overall in 2014 by STL
Goldobin's already got an NHL-calibre offensive skill set and a booming shot. Sound good? The problem is it's been six years since he was drafted and he's beginning to drift out of prospect territory. The good news is he just needs a chance to play top 9 minutes and you can unlock his potential! With proper training, he can be not terrible defensively.

7. Simon Holmstrom, RW - drafted 90th overall in 2019 by SJ
After the trade that brought Holmstrom to Colorado, San Jose's GM commented that he's likely a future fourth liner. Colorado's GM sees him as more than that, but perhaps the rookie executive is misjudging the league's talent level. We'll see. Anyway, Holmstrom is a slick playmaker whose offensive instincts could keep him in the top 9. As a defender, his positioning is solid.

8. James Greenway, D - drafted 39th overall in 2016
Greenway is interesting in that he can play defence or left wing, but his skill set is definitely suited to the blueline. He's a heavy-hitting, responsible defender who could also fit in on a grinder line in a pinch. He's another guy who needs a call-up to take the next step.

9. Noah Gregor, C - drafted 47th overall in 2016 by FLA
Gregor projects as a solid two-way centre with a big shot and a real defensive conscience. Shame he's two inches short to be able to hit guys. That could be a real game-changer. He's maybe a year away from the NHL.

10. Case McCarthy, D - drafted 111th overall in 2019 by MTL
McCarthy has an issue with consistency, which helped with his fall in the draft. But with a proper development system the Avalanche believe he can become a strong defender who doesn't mind hitting people and can contribute on the attack. He's got a few years to work on his game.

Coming soon: Avalanche prospects ranked 11 through 20
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Avalanche acquire Vrana from Dallas

It's only been a month or so since the Colorado Avalanche hired a new GM, but Josh Lewis has already made three trades with the Dallas Stars.

The most recent came on Feb. 24, a few days before the trade deadline. The Avs shipped right winger Jake Virtanen and a third-round pick in this year's draft to the Stars for right winger Jakub Vrana. It's Vrana's second stint in Colorado, where he played 111 games over two seasons from 2016-18.

It's been no secret the Avs have been trying to move Virtanen, who has the offensive skill to hang in the top six but is pedestrian at best in the defensive zone. Virtanen, 23, scored 40 points in 113 career games in Colorado and had only appeared in two games this season.

Vrana, 24, doesn't bring the heavy shot of Virtanen but plays a strong puck possession game and positions himself well without the puck to break up opponent plays.

"He's a good skater, handles the puck well and is equally comfortable shooting or dishing it off," Lewis said. "He's been bounced around, but he's got another level to reach in his game and we think he can get there."

Vrana has 134 points in 304 NHL games with the Stars, Avs, Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres. It's unclear where he'll start out in the Avs' lineup, with recent callups Matthew Freytag and Nikolay Goldobin already playing the right side behind Mitch Marner. He's expected to settle into the top six in time.

Meanwhile, Colorado made a smaller deal on Feb. 26 with the Ottawa Senators, acquiring 19-year-old goalie Isaiah "Jimmy" Saville for fourth-round picks in 2020 and 2021.

"We have it on fairly good authority that Isaiah isn't the BBC's Jimmy Savile in disguise, but we're sending Zack Kassian to get him at the airport, just in case," Lewis said.

"If our source is right, this guy was drafted in the fifth round last year and could be a consistently decent backup in the future. We only had four goalies in the entire organization so we wanted to bring in a young guy."
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Avalanche trade deadline preview

The Colorado Avalanche have been busy in the trade market since hiring new GM Josh Lewis, and that's expected to continue up to the EHEC's trade deadline on Feb. 29.

Lewis has just painfully elbowed this reporter and said, "Guess we're going to take a LEAP at this trade deadline!"

Oy.

The Avs already announced a pair of moves on Thursday. They made yet another deal with the Dallas Stars, shipping out right winger Nikolay Goldobin for defence prospects Anton Cederholm and Hunter Skinner.

Goldobin was recently called up by the Avs and was getting top-nine minutes, with a goal and an assist in three games.

"The truth is he needs a lot of ice time at the age of 24 to reach his ceiling," Lewis said. "The only reason he was getting any with us was the injuries to Frolik and Entwistle. But the acquisition of Jakub Vrana was likely to take minutes away and we also have to find more ice time for Matthew Freytag. Not to mention it would be nice to get Jason Cotton back in the lineup."

Cederholm just turned 25 and is in a similar spot as Goldobin with regards to development at an older age. However, unlike the Russian, Cederholm still has room to grow in the AHL.

"We think he's going to round into a very strong shutdown defender for us," Lewis said. "We're not expecting much offence from him at the NHL level."

Cederholm has an assist in four games with the Stars this year, spending the rest of the year with AHL Texas.

Skinner, meanwhile, was selected by the Stars in the fifth round of the 2019 draft and is still in the junior ranks.

"He's not a top prospect by any means, but we project Skinner as a decent shutdown guy who can play on the third pair," Lewis said.

In their other deal Thursday, the Avalanche sent Connor Murphy to the Boston Bruins for Damir Galin in a swap of veteran defencemen.

"We've had our eye on Galin for a while," Lewis said. "He brings that crunching physical game and strong defensive ability that we don't have much of. We have four or five puck-movers on our blueline, but Stephen Johns is the only guy who compares to Galin."

Murphy has appeared in only 10 games this year for Colorado, with two goals and three assists.

"We like Connor a lot and we thank him for his time here," Lewis said. "But Jacob Larsson is several years younger and a very similar player."

Galin has a goal and three assists in 48 games for Boston this year. He was originally taken by Detroit in the third round of the 2012 draft.

Meanwhile, sources say the Avalanche are shopping three players on their roster leading up to the deadline: left winger Ryan Stoa, centre Elias Lindholm and defenceman Griffin Reinhart.
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Re: Avalanche Report

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Avalanche season in review and off-season preview

The 2019-20 season was largely frustrating for the Colorado Avalanche, but ended on a note of hope for the future.

The Avalanche missed the playoffs for the 11th straight year without an active GM for more than half the season. But after Josh Lewis was hired as the new GM in late January, the organization began to overhaul its roster.

It was too late for Lewis to steer the team into the playoffs, but Colorado won 17 of its last 30 games after his hiring, including a seven-game win streak in March.

The acquisition of players like Mitch Marner, Jakub Vrana, Damir Galin and Ivan Barbashev, along with calling up guys like Sam Bennett who fell through the cracks without an active GM, helped the Avs turn it around in the second half.

Lewis thinks that kind of form was more than an illusion. He believes the Avalanche can make the playoffs next year with a bit more roster tinkering in the off-season.

"I won't guarantee anything, but I think we have the talent and room for improvement to make our first EHEC playoff appearance in a year's time," the GM said.

Colorado owns the 10th overall pick in this summer's draft and they intend to keep it, Lewis said.

It looks like the Avalanche will have talent for sale up front this summer after Michael Frolik and Mackenzie Entwistle return from injuries. There are currently up to 18 NHL-calibre forwards in the organization who could fight for a spot at training camp. When Colorado claimed Matthew Beattie off waivers from the Oilers, it was a welcome infusion of talent but an unexpected addition that added to the logjam.

"We certainly wouldn't mind being able to move out a couple of older forwards," Lewis said. "There are plenty of guys on the roster with further room for growth and that's not counting guys like Jack Roslovic and Simon Stransky in the AHL, who could make it."

The Avalanche are mostly happy with their current blueline, but don't be surprised if they use their excess talent to take a swing at a top pairing guy. There's lots of good depth there, several guys who can log top four minutes, but really no stud #1 guy who excels at both ends.

It's also anyone's guess what the Avs do between the pipes this summer. Jack Campbell is a solid, extremely consistent 1B type. Filip Gustavsson is ready for backup duty and Isaiah Saville may be as well. Then there's Stuart Skinner, who is technically proficient but not very consistent.

But Colorado doesn't have a bona fide star goalie in the organization, for either now or the future. Whether they address that this summer or wait another year will depend on the market.
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Re: Avalanche Report

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Avalanche 2020 Draft Review

The Colorado Avalanche had seven picks in the 2020 EHEC Draft and came away with a solid array of prospects at forward, defence and goalie.

The Avs' improved play after the hiring of GM Josh Lewis resulted in their first-rounder sliding down to 10th overall. But they were able to snag Swedish right winger Noel Gunler, who projects as an offensive powerhouse with an absolute rocket of a shot and high-level playmaking ability. He also won't be a defensive liability.

"Gunler will almost certainly be one of our underagers in the AHL next season," Lewis said. "His shot is already close to NHL-ready."

In the second round, 40th overall, the Avalanche selected defenceman Ryan O'Rourke. He's a bruising rearguard who's expected to be an excellent shutdown option who can contribute here and there on the attack.

"He can hit guys hard with good timing," Lewis said. "We look forward to him being a linchpin on our blueline for many years to come."

Nine picks later, the Avs grabbed goaltender Calle Clang, who they expect to become a very consistent, solid 1B option.

"There were quite a number of goaltenders ranked very close to one another, but we took Clang because you know what you'll get from him game in, game out."

In the third round, 80th overall, Colorado selected another right winger, Brandon Coe, who projects as a heavy hitter in the bottom six with some moderate skill in the offensive zone.

When the Avs' fourth-round pick at 116th came around, the GM was nowhere to be found. League officials figured he was downing his seventh whiskey of the day out in the concourse, so they drafted left winger Dmitri Ovchinnikov for the Avalanche.

"At least he's not totally useless," Lewis slurred as he staggered back onto the draft floor.

The Russian forward has just enough talent in the offensive and defensive zones that he might crack the fourth line - not on any good team, mind you.

Colorado had two picks in the fifth and final round. With the 130th selection, they took defenceman Jake Ratzlaff, who should develop into a decent stay-at-home guy who can play on a third pairing.

With the third-last pick of the draft, 148th overall, the Avs took centre Daniel Ljungman, who has barely average puck skills and worse defensive acumen. He could play with Ovchinnikov on a poor team's fourth line.

"On the whole, we're pretty happy with our draft haul," Lewis said. "We added at least one prospect at every position. It was especially important to draft a solid goalie, as we had none in the junior ranks."
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Re: Avalanche Report

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Avs swing deal for Kulikov, continue to tinker

With the 2020 EHEC draft in the books, teams are now deciding which of their free agents to re-sign and which to let walk. Trade activity has also picked up around the league.

One of the biggest deals to date saw the Colorado Avalanche acquire superstar defenceman Dmitry Kulikov from the Calgary Flames, along with emerging young winger Kirill Marchenko. In exchange, the Avs gave up top centre Sam Bennett, winger Jakub Vrana and defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Kulikov is the second major addition to the Avs' blueline this summer after they previously acquired Dion Phaneuf.

"We're pretty stoked to add a player of Kulikov's calibre to the back end," said GM Josh Lewis. "He's a game-breaker in all three zones. He's got an elite shot, can skate the puck up ice himself with his mobility and soft hands, and his strong positioning makes him an excellent defender as well."

Kulikov posted 12 goals and 45 points this season with the Flames. Marchenko, meanwhile, made Calgary's roster as a 19-year-old and produced 14 points in 61 games. They drafted the 6-foot-3 forward in the second round, 52nd overall, in 2018.

"We're excited about Marchenko. He's such a balanced all-around player. There are no glaring weaknesses in his game and he's committed to team defence, which you don't always get from young kids," Lewis said. "He's got a lot of room to grow too with his offensive skill set and physical play."

However, adding Kulikov and Marchenko wasn't cheap. Bennett has been the best centre in Colorado's organization since they acquired him from Edmonton in 2018. This will be his second stint in Calgary. Bennett has career highs of 36 goals and 78 points, but previous management in Denver inexplicably left him in the AHL last season. After being called up, he produced 19 points in 29 games.

"It's tough to lose Sam. He's such a dangerous offensive force. He scores plenty of goals, he can dangle, he can set up teammates. Truth is, though, he doesn't play the body at all and that's a valuable trait in a top centre."

Lewis said Ristolainen is a strong shutdown defender who can help any team, but doesn't use his 6-foot-3 frame enough to separate opponents from the puck. The Finn had 19 points last year, all assists. Vrana, meanwhile, was acquired from the Dallas Stars in the second half for Jake Virtanen. He posted 17 points in 23 games with Colorado, but Lewis said his $3 million contract made him a cap casualty.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Avs also pulled the trigger on a trio of smaller moves this week.

First, they shipped 25-year-old left winger Emile Poirier to the Tampa Bay Lightning for veteran forward Greg Nemisz. Poirier has top six offensive potential and is serviceable away from the puck, but his development has been slow. Poirier has put up some big numbers in the AHL the last few years, but can't seem to break through at the NHL level. He had no points in four games with the Avs this year, and in 45 career NHL games he has 11 points.

In Nemisz, Colorado gets a 30-year-old hard-hitting depth player who can handle duties at centre or right wing.

"We didn't really have room to give Poirier the minutes he needs to develop, so he gets a chance with another organization and we add a solid checking player for our bottom six group."

Next, the Avalanche shipped 26-year-old depth defenceman Brady Skjei to the Philadelphia Flyers for a fourth-round pick in 2021. Skjei made his NHL debut this year, playing 17 games with the Avs and contributing four points.

"No one's ever going to confuse Brady with a player who can create offence, but he can defend well enough to hold down a 6-7 role in the NHL," Lewis said. "He'll get better in the defensive zone with steady playing time."

Finally, Colorado made a prospect swap with the Anaheim Ducks, dealing 21-year-old goalie Stuart Skinner for 20-year-old defenceman Xavier Bernard. Skinner, a fourth-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2017, was Colorado's AHL starter this year and third on the depth chart. But the GM wasn't satisfied with the lack of consistency in his game.

Bernard, meanwhile, went to the Ducks 41st overall in 2018 and projects as a capable, physical defenceman who should be able to handle top four minutes.

"We're happy to get a good shutdown D-man in the making. I think in time, he'll develop pretty good puck-handling abilities too, but defence is definitely his bread and butter."

It's believed the Avs are shopping Ryan Stoa, Elias Lindholm and Oscar Klefbom leading into the opening of unrestricted free agency.
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Colorado Avalanche Season Preview

The 2020-21 season will be the first full one in charge for new Avalanche GM Josh Lewis, and he's already put his stamp on the roster.

A flurry of off-season trades and free agent signings will see the Colorado lineup looking much different than it did at the end of last season. The Avalanche have an entirely new top defense pairing, starting goalie and several bottom six forwards.

FORWARDS
In: Jordan Staal, Logan Shaw, Brayden Point, Kirill Marchenko, Greg Nemisz
Out: Sam Bennett, Michael Frolik, Ryan Martindale, Jakub Vrana, Mackenzie Entwistle, Jason Cotton

The Avs greatly upgraded their back end and goaltending, but at what cost to their offense? Top line talent Sam Bennett and Michael Frolik were traded to bring in Dion Phaneuf and Dmitry Kulikov. Colorado had an excess of scoring forwards, and now those remaining will be counted on to step into big roles. Ivan Barbashev and Janne Kuokkanen are expected to move to the top line alongside Mitch Marner. All three are skilled playmakers, but will they score enough goals?

The Avs will shift Mirko Hoefflin to centre on the second line to cover the loss of Bennett. He'll be flanked by Matthew Freytag on the left side, and either Matthew Beattie or Ty Dellandrea on the right. Hoefflin had a strong bounce-back season in 2019-20, as did Beattie between the Oilers and Avs. Freytag looked good in a 24-game callup late last year, with 16 points. Still, there's no doubt this top six group will have to score by committee.

Colorado's third line was greatly upgraded this summer with the additions of Jordan Staal and Logan Shaw. Throw in Zack Kassian and this checking unit should have a major impact in preventing goals and scoring a decent amount themselves. Staal and Kassian are the highest-paid forwards on the team, so big things are expected.

At the moment, the Avs' fourth line looks to be comprised of three young, talented offensive players in Kirill Marchenko, Brayden Point and Dellandrea. Any of them would be capable of filling in on the second line if required. The two wingers have a solid defensive conscience as well, while Colorado hopes they can develop Point into a top line centre in time. Physical winger Greg Nemisz is also an option here, and if the Avs carry a 14th forward it's expected to be 21-year-old grinder Lane Zablocki.

The AHL Colorado Eagles are also teeming with potential call-ups at forward in youngsters Filip Chlapik, Jack Roslovic, Jesse Ylonen, Carl Grundstrom, Kameron Kielly and Chase De Leo.

DEFENCE
In: Dion Phaneuf, Dmitry Kulikov, Alexei Bereglazov, Carl Sneep, Kevin Klein
Out: Stephen Johns, Jon Merrill, Jacob Larsson, Rasmus Ristolainen, Griffin Reinhart

Defence wins championships in EHM, and the Avalanche have certainly upgraded theirs by leaps and bounds. Phaneuf and Kulikov may make $15 million combined, but they should make for a hell of a top pairing. The Avs traded shutdown D Stephen Johns to help get out of a cap crunch, but signed Carl Sneep to replace him. Damir Galin is a similar shutdown defender, as is Alexei Bereglazov, who they acquired from LA for Jacob Larsson. Meanwhile, Matthew Murphy continues to grow as a two-way defender and is expected to move into the top four this year.

Colorado has the option of splitting up Phaneuf and Kulikov so that one of them is on the ice nearly the entire game, but for now they'll stay together. The other pairings are projected to be Murphy with Galin, and Bereglazov with Sneep, though all of those players are capable of stepping into the top four so there's plenty of flexibility. Kevin Klein is pencilled in as the seventh D, but the Avs are hoping to make room for young UFA signing Ryan Graves.

GOALTENDING
In: Steve Mason, Mason McDonald, Colten Ellis
Out: Filip Gustavsson, Stuart Skinner, Isaiah Saville

Shortly after the playoffs ended, Colorado acquired Mason from the Nashville Predators along with second and third-round picks for prospect Isaiah Saville and a late first-rounder. Ironically, they used one of those picks to draft goalie prospect Calle Clang, who they have high hopes for. Mason will be the 1A to Jack Campbell's 1B in the Colorado net, bringing a little more talent to the crease but not quite the consistency of Campbell. GM Lewis says their performance will dictate who gets more starts.

The Avs were also busy in terms of organizational depth at goalie. They traded AHL starter Stuart Skinner and replaced him with UFA signing Mason McDonald. They shipped Ville Husso, who had been acquired for Gustavsson, to Minnesota for goalie prospect Colten Ellis. The Avs plan to use one of their underage spots on Clang, who will back up McDonald.

Lewis said when he was hired last year that the Avalanche weren't far off from making their first playoff appearance in the history of EHEC. His off-season moves have brought them closer to that goal. Denver fans are clamouring for playoff hockey. Will this roster deliver? Lewis will surely keep tinkering throughout the season to improve his club.

PREDICTION: 6th seed in the Western Conference
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COLORADO PRESEASON NEWS:

The Avalanche have traded checking winger Greg Nemisz to the St. Louis Blues. Nemisz was acquired for AHL prospect Emile Poirier, who they weren't going to qualify. But then the Avs spent like it was 1995 in the UFA market and Nemisz's $1.2 million salary was seen as a bit much for a 12th or 13th forward.

For taking the 30-year-old, the Blues also get defence prospect Case McCarthy and a fourth-round pick in 2023. Colorado receives AHL centre Anton Lander.

"We identified this as one way to trim some fat from the payroll," GM Josh Lewis said. "McCarthy is a project with some consistency issues but he could get there."

The deal ensures 21-year-old Lane Zablocki will stay with the big club, and sources say the Avs are in discussions to deal another forward. That would allow them to call up one of their 23-year-old centres, Jack Roslovic or Filip Chlapik, or perhaps both if they have the space to carry 14 forwards.

"Those kids are ready for the NHL," the GM said. "Chlapik has a bit more work to do defensively. But they're both good scorers. Look at how Roslovic dominated the AHL last year."

********

Meanwhile, it looks like there will be a battle for the seventh defence spot. Veteran offensive d-man Kevin Klein and young stay-at-home type Ryan Graves were both brought in this summer. Klein could do his thing on the rush if paired with one of the club's shutdown guys. But Graves, signed as a free agent, has significant untapped potential.

***********************

Colorado has a few guys in the AHL who are NHL-ready or just about. There's Chlapik, Roslovic, Carl Grundstrom, Jesse Ylonen and Simon Stransky up front, along with Anton Cederholm, James Greenway and Jared Hauf on the back end.
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Avalanche swing six-player trade with Red Wings

The Colorado Avalanche made a change in goal and added to their prospect pool in a major deal with the Detroit Red Wings that saw six players and three draft picks change hands.

The Avs dealt goalie Jack Campbell, sophomore forward Ty Dellandrea, defence prospect Hunter Skinner and a fifth-round pick in 2021 to Detroit for goalie Thatcher Demko, forward prospect Jaromir Pytlik, defence prospect Henry Thrun, a fourth-round pick in 2021 and a third-rounder in 2022.

Demko, 24, is a downgrade from Campbell at the backup position but is four years younger and could be easier to re-sign next summer. Campbell posted a 17-12 record last year in 33 games on a losing team. Demko's numbers in 42 games were worse, though Detroit was a terrible team compared to the Avs. Demko will back up Steve Mason in Colorado.

"Campbell's a really consistent veteran who did well in his one year with us," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "We saw a chance to get younger and add some futures at the same time."

In Dellandrea, the Avs lose a 19-year-old two-way forward who can play in all situations. Dellandrea had 17 points in his rookie season between Colorado and the Montreal Canadiens.

"He's got a bright future, for sure," Lewis said. "Ultimately his $1.6 million contract made him a cap casualty. It was looking like he'd be stuck on our fourth line this season and he's capable of more than that."

Pytlik, a natural centre, was drafted in the second round, 54th overall, by Detroit in the 2020 EHEC Draft. He projects as a strong defensive forward with some offensive ability, similar to current Avalanche Logan Shaw.

Thrun was a third-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2019, going 75th overall. He projects as a top four D who does everything well in his own end and can contribute to the attack.

"We're really happy to add two prospects of this calibre to the system," Lewis said. "They're both responsible players who should be part of our core in a few years."

Skinner, meanwhile, was a fifth-round pick of the Stars in 2019. Colorado had acquired him for winger Nikolay Goldobin last season. He's a pure stay-at-home defenceman and very raw. Thrun is certainly closer to the NHL than Skinner.

The Avalanche also replace their missing third-round pick in 2022 in this deal, and upgrade in the 2021 draft.

The GM said 23-year-old Jack Roslovic will make the opening-night roster after the departure of Dellandrea. Roslovic tore up the AHL two years ago with 131 points, but he can also hold his own without the puck. He's expected to play the right side with Kirill Marchenko and Brayden Point on the fourth line.
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AvalancheGM wrote: Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:34 pmDemko's numbers in 42 games were worse, though Detroit was a terrible team compared to the Avs.
Detroit finished last season with 81 points, Colorado with 78. In fact, the only time Colorado has finished ahead of Detroit was 2010/11.
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Well shit. Detroit drafted third so I thought it was their own pick.
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Avalanche Final Roster - 2020-21

Forwards:
Evgeny Artyukhin
Ivan Barbashev
Matthew Beattie
Matthew Freytag
Mirko Hoefflin
Zack Kassian
Janne Kuokkanen
Kirill Marchenko
Mitch Marner
Brayden Point
Jack Roslovic
Logan Shaw
Jordan Staal

Defencemen:
Alexei Bereglazov
Damir Galin
Ryan Graves
Dmitry Kulikov
Matthew Murphy
Dion Phaneuf
Carl Sneep

Goalies:
Thatcher Demko
Steve Mason
Last edited by AvalancheGM on Tue Oct 06, 2020 6:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Avalanche News & Notes:

Colorado has completed a minor-league deal with the Arizona Coyotes, dealing 29-year-old centre Anton Lander for 25-year-old defenceman Keaton Thompson.

Lander was recently acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the deal that sent Greg Nemisz there as a cap dump.

"Arizona needed an AHL forward, and we were happy to get a younger player who could be useful. Thompson won't get much playing time behind our D prospects, but he's a solid AHL defender who could develop into a depth NHL guy."

*******

The Avs have at least one lineup decision left to make for opening night. It's not clear whether Janne Kuokkanen or Mirko Hoefflin will centre the top line between Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner. Hoefflin led the team in scoring last year, though the organization feels Kuokkanen has more upside at both ends of the ice.

But Kuokkanen is primarily a playmaker, just like Marner and Barbashev, so they may opt for Hoefflin's shot and put Kuokkanen between Matthew Freytag and Matthew Beattie.

On defence, Colorado has three shutdown defenders who are almost interchangeable. Carl Sneep will start on the third pairing with Alexei Bereglazov, but he has the mobility to move into the top four if needed. Bereglazov and Damir Galin are expected to anchor the top PK unit, with Sneep and likely Dion Phaneuf on the second.
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More Avs News & Notes:

The Colorado Avalanche claimed right winger Evgeny Artyukhin from the Ottawa Senators on Saturday during the league's annual Waiver Day. The 37-year-old Russian is a physical checking winger, with a 6-foot-5, 254-pound frame. He may retire after this season after being used as a spare forward the last two years by Ottawa and the New York Rangers, playing a combined 29 games. He'll see some time as a healthy scratch in Colorado, with youngster Jack Roslovic also looking for ice time. But Artyukhin is a solid option against tougher teams and could fill in on the Avs' third-line checking unit if needed.

***

To make room for Artyukhin's $800,000 cap hit, the Avalanche sent rookie forward Lane Zablocki to the AHL. They hope it will only be temporary, but until they make some kind of deal, carrying a 14th forward would put them over the salary cap. Colorado was $6,000 over the cap as it was after demoting Zablocki.

***

To get back under the cap, the Avalanche traded veteran defenceman Kevin Klein and winger prospect Albin Grewe to the Detroit Red Wings for AHL centre Adam Brooks. Klein had been relegated to the AHL, where he counted for $50,000 against the cap, but he's a serviceable offensive defenceman at a reasonable $850,000 salary.

Grewe had been acquired earlier this summer from the Calgary Flames for defence prospects Rasmus Andersson and Max Lajoie. The 19-year-old, who got into two preseason games for the Avs, projects as a defensive forward with modest offensive skill. Brooks, 24, had 22 points in the AHL last season and is unlikely to see much ice with the Colorado Eagles.
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Avalanche swap wingers on eve of season opener

It turns out the Colorado Avalanche weren't finished with off-season tinkering after all.

On Wednesday night, a day before their season opener against the Detroit Red Wings, the Avs traded right winger Matthew Beattie to the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Aapeli Rasanen.

Rasanen, 22, can play centre or right wing and is a dominant face-off man, giving the Avalanche more flexibility in their top six. He's already played three seasons in the EHEC for Ottawa and the Rangers. He managed only 11 goals and 15 points in New York last year, but owns a career-high of 37 points.

"We think he'll get a better chance here to show what he's capable of, particularly as a playmaker," said Colorado GM Josh Lewis. "He's a smurf who can't hit, but he's a good skater and brings intangibles to the table. At $1.25 million, we save $500,000 against the cap and get significantly younger."

Beattie, 28, brings more experience and offensive production to the table for Tampa, having played seven seasons for the Kings, Stars, Oilers and Avalanche. Colorado claimed him off waivers from Edmonton late last season. He posted 22 goals and 49 points on the year, both career bests.

"Beattie's a good playmaker who can shoot, but his lack of consistency and skating ability certainly holds him back," Lewis said.

It's not clear whether Rasanen will take Beattie's spot at right wing on the second line, or perhaps centre that unit, freeing up Janne Kuokkanen to play the right side.
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Aapeli Rasanen didn't get a chance in Colorado at all, it turns out.

Days after acquiring Rasanen from the Tampa Bay Lightning, saying he would get a chance to "show what he's capable of," Avalanche GM Josh Lewis traded the Finnish forward to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In return, the Avalanche get third and fourth-round picks in the 2021 EHEC draft, as well as cap space - Rasanen made $1.25 million.

Lewis said the team's young depth up front allowed them to move Rasanen without getting a player back. They called up Filip Chlapik and Lane Zablocki after the move.

"We've got Marchenko, Point, Roslovic, Chlapik, Zablocki and more who would thrive with additional playing time," the GM said. "Marchenko will get the first crack at playing on the second line with Kuokkanen and Freytag. We've weakened our offence for now, but if these kids can get in the lineup and take their game to a new level, we will be better for it by the end of the season."

The Avs defeated the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Saturday, their second straight win to start the season, and ran a fourth line of Chlapik, Point and Roslovic - all natural centres. Roslovic has a pair of assists in his first two NHL games. Zablocki and veteran bruiser Evgeny Artyukhin were scratched.

"Some of these guys are going to draw in and out of the lineup, based on what we see from them and who we're facing. But that's better than spending the year in the AHL, where they've really got nothing left to learn."

On the back end, Ryan Graves drew into the lineup, paired with Carl Sneep. Matthew Murphy sat out after the Avalanche weren't exactly thrilled with his pre-season and opening game.

Top line winger Mitch Marner is enjoying an excellent start to the season, with two goals and four assists through a pair of games.
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Streaky Avalanche struggle to create offence

The Colorado Avalanche had one of the best starts of any EHEC team to the 2020-21 regular season, but they have crashed back to earth and then some. The Avs won their first three games, but have since lost five straight.

A big reason for the team's recent struggles is a lack of scoring. The Avs have scored 20 goals through eight games, which puts them in the bottom 10 in the league. The top line of Ivan Barbashev, Mirko Hoefflin and Mitch Marner is producing solid numbers, as are centres Janne Kuokkanen and Brayden Point, but after them the offence drops off in a hurry.

Matthew Freytag and Kirill Marchenko, who have flanked Kuokkanen on the second line, have combined for a measly four assists, and zero goals. GM Josh Lewis may be regretting his decision to trade away Matthew Beattie on the eve of the season opener.

Point has done well in mostly fourth-line duty, and linemate Jack Roslovic has managed three points in six games. Third line checkers Zack Kassian, Jordan Staal and Logan Shaw were expected to kick in some offence, but it hasn't been much so far.

On defence, there hasn't been much scoring beyond the top pair of Dion Phaneuf and Dmitry Kulikov. Four defencemen, Damir Galin, Alexei Bereglazov, Matthew Murphy and Ryan Graves, remain pointless. Murphy's struggles so far have come as a disappointment, while the others were never counted on for offence.

Starting goalie Steve Mason got off to a hot start, but surrendered four goals on just nine shots in Thursday's loss to Chicago. Thatcher Demko's relief appearance was only his second game of the season, but he figures to get more playing time.

In the AHL, 25-year-old centre Chase De Leo is leading the Colorado Eagles in scoring with 11 points through eight games. Forwards Jesse Ylonen, Simon Stransky, Aleksi Heponiemi and Antoine Morand have also been productive, as well as defenceman James Greenway. In goal, 20-year-old Colten Ellis has seen a bit more action than veteran Mason McDonald so far.
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Avalanche trade Sneep to Lightning

The Colorado Avalanche traded summer free agent signing Carl Sneep to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in a swap of four defencemen.

In exchange for Sneep, 33, and AHL defender Keaton Thompson, the Avs received veteran rearguard Mattias Backman and defence prospect Nikita Okhotyuk.

Sneep has a goal and an assist in seven games for Colorado this season, while Backman has the same totals in eight games with Tampa.

GM Josh Lewis said the real prize in the trade was Okhotyuk, 19, who was a fourth-round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2019 draft.

"He's a few years away, but he projects as a hard-hitting shutdown type who can handle the puck," the GM said. "He's a nice add to our pool of D prospects along with Thrun, O'Rourke, Bernard, Greenway and Hronek."

Okhotyuk started the season with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, with no points in eight games, but the Avs are expected to send him back to junior. Their two underager spots are being used on Noel Gunler and Colten Ellis.

"As for the NHL players in the deal, Sneep is a great hitter and that will be missed," Lewis said. "Backman is a downgrade from him, but he can handle third-pairing duties and this gives Ryan Graves a chance to get into the lineup more often."

Thompson, 25, is a veteran of five AHL seasons. He was a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2013. Colorado acquired him earlier this fall in a minor-league deal that sent centre Anton Lander to the Coyotes.

Meanwhile, the Avalanche have called up 21-year-old winger Jesse Ylonen in an effort to kick-start their lagging offensive attack. Ylonen has had a hot start with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, with four goals and seven points in seven games. The Avs want him to work on his defence a little more before he's ready to come up for good, but he'll get a brief chance to show what he can do on offence.

Ylonen suited up on the second line in his first NHL game against Chicago and didn't record a point. The Avs are trying to find solutions for their second line wing spots, having gotten very little so far from a revolving cast of candidates including Matthew Freytag, Kirill Marchenko, Brayden Point and Jack Roslovic. Point did well in the top six, and his fourth-line centre role can be filled by either Roslovic or Filip Chlapik, so he may get another shot.

"It's up to the kids to determine who gets that ice time in the top six," the GM said. "We're hoping someone will step up and grab it."
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Avs acquire Leblanc from Rangers

The Colorado Avalanche took a shot at shoring up their secondary scoring on Thursday, picking up veteran forward Louis Leblanc from the New York Rangers.

In return for the 29-year-old sniper, the Avs gave up right wing prospect Brandon Coe and AHL farmhand Adam Brooks.

It was no secret Colorado had been looking to beef up their offensive attack. Whether Leblanc brings the scoring punch they’re looking for remains to be seen.

“Well, he’s got one of the best shots of anyone in the NHL,” said GM Josh Lewis. “Yeah, he sucks on defence and can’t really pass the puck, but we’ve got guys to do that stuff. We needed a real bona fide goal-scorer and he’s cheap centre depth as well.”

Leblanc, who posted 30 points for the Rangers in 2018-19, is on the last year of a contract that pays him $650,000. He has three points in nine games so far this season.

Lewis said Leblanc will start off on the Avs’ second line with Janne Kuokkanen and Matthew Freytag. It’s not clear whether Leblanc or Kuokkanen will line up at centre.

“It’s always nice to have two centres on a line when the lineys start kicking guys out of the circle left, right and centre,” the GM said. “But they both play the right side as well and we’re comfortable with them at either position.”

Coe, 18, was Colorado’s third-round pick in the 2020 EHEC Draft, 80th overall. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound winger projects as a physical bottom six grinder.

“We like him, obviously enough to draft him, but we’ve been able to keep adding to the pipeline, so this won’t have a real negative impact on our system as a whole. He’s definitely going to play, though the fourth line might be his ceiling.”

Brooks was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings on the eve of the regular season in exchange for taking on Kevin Klein’s contract. He has one assist in five games for the Colorado Eagles.
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Colorado deals Murphy to Coyotes

The Colorado Avalanche continue to make changes to their blueline, completing a three-player trade with the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

The Avs dealt defenceman Matthew Murphy and Philadelphia's fourth-round pick in 2021 in exchange for defenceman Luke Ripley and defence prospect Ville Heinola.

Murphy, 25, had a breakout year in 2019-20 with 39 points, but has struggled greatly so far this season with no points in 11 games. He was expected to jump into the Avs' top four this year, but that hasn't materialized. He has another year left on his contract at $850,000.

In Ripley, the Avalanche get a slightly older and more expensive defender who brings more of a shutdown presence. The 26-year-old is a physical blueliner who can take care of business in front of his net. He posted 18 points for Montreal last year and has one assist in 10 games for Arizona.

Heinola, meanwhile, is a promising prospect at the age of 19. He's already played a full season in the AHL, posting 14 points last year. He was the Coyotes' first-round pick in 2019, 26th overall.

"Ville is definitely going to be an NHL player," said GM Josh Lewis. "He's a two-way defenceman who's moderately good at defending and can contribute on offence. He could crack our roster next year at the earliest."

Heinola is the second underage AHL prospect the Avs have acquired recently, after getting Nikita Okhotyuk from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both are expected to be sent back to their junior teams, since the Colorado Eagles already have two underagers in Noel Gunler and Colten Ellis.

The Avs had three fourth-rounders in this year's draft, and still have seven picks overall.
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AVALANCHE LAND PAVELSKI FROM SHARKS

The previously reported trade of Matthew Murphy to the Arizona Coyotes was rejected by the league. So they made another deal.

Louis Leblanc’s tenure in Colorado didn’t last very long.

Just 10 days after he was acquired from the New York Rangers, the Avs shipped Leblanc to the San Jose Sharks, with a third-round pick in 2021, for veteran scorer Joe Pavelski and a fourth-rounder in 2022.

Leblanc was brought in to shore up secondary scoring and put up three points in two games in Denver. But Pavelski represents an upgrade on Leblanc at both ends of the ice. The 36-year-old was struggling in his second stint in San Jose, with four points in 11 games. But he had 50 points last year for Washington.

“We know he’s ancient, but he’s cheap as balls and he immediately becomes our second-best scoring forward. Sad commentary on our offence, that is,” said Avs GM Josh Lewis.

Pavelski can play the middle or the left side, and his arrival gives the Avs even more options up front. Pavelski could slot onto the second line with Janne Kuokkanen and Matthew Freytag, filling the role Leblanc did.

Or he could get a shot with the top line, but the question then is which player comes off that unit. It’s hard to make a case for Pavelski centring the first unit when Mirko Hoefflin owns 99 faceoff ability. He could play left wing beside Hoefflin, bumping Ivan Barbashev down. Or perhaps Hoefflin falls to the second line and Pavelski is flanked by Barbashev and Mitch Marner.

The Avalanche still have a third-round pick in next year’s draft, Toronto’s, and they opted for a 2022 fourth in return because they didn’t have a pick in that round, but have three fourths in the coming draft.

In the end, the Avs essentially traded prospect Brandon Coe and a third-round pick for Pavelski and a fourth-rounder.
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Avalanche attack adds Vatanen from Lightning

The Colorado Avalanche traded for more offensive firepower on Friday, acquiring left winger/defenceman Sami Vatanen from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Colorado also receives centre Ryan Martindale and fifth-round picks in the 2021 and 2025 EHEC drafts.

In return, they gave up offseason signing Logan Shaw, who had been a staple on their third line, and forward prospect Lane Zablocki.

Vatanen, 29, has eight points in 15 games with the Bolts this season after an off-season trade from Florida. He excels as a playmaker, like most of the Avs’ top forwards, and is on a cheap $872,000 contract.

“He could play with Hoefflin, or Pavelski, or Kuokkanen or some combination,” said GM Josh Lewis. “We now have the flexibility up front to experiment with our chemistry and the depth to bench a struggling player if necessary.”

Lewis was asked the odds of Vatanen spending any time on defence in Colorado.

“Uh, absolute zero, so -273% odds. Have you SEEN him play defence?”

Martindale had a stint with the Avalanche last season, but they traded him as a cap dump. Lewis says Martindale will be sent to the Colorado Eagles, where only $200,000 of his $1 million salary will count against the cap. That makes the deal virtually salary-neutral for the Avalanche.

The GM said it wasn’t an easy decision to part with Shaw, a gritty winger who was signed as a free agent this summer. He had been playing on a shutdown line with Zack Kassian and Jordan Staal.

“He’s a versatile two-way player on a cheap contract. That being said, we do have Artyukhin who’s capable of jumping onto that line. He doesn’t have the offensive ability of Shaw, but hits like a truck.”

Vatanen’s arrival will push someone out of the top six, so that player - likely to be Matthew Freytag - may end up joining Kassian and Staal for more of a two-way line.

Zablocki, meanwhile, made the Avs out of camp before a series of demotions and recalls due to a salary and roster crunch. He played two games for Colorado but was sent down when they acquired Louis Leblanc from the Rangers.

“Zablocki can play on a fourth line on most teams, and he’s 21. Our choice to give more ice time to developing offensive players like Point, Roslovic and Chlapik blocked his path.”
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Avalanche successfully trade Murphy to Arizona on second try

You couldn't blame Colorado Avalanche defenceman Matthew Murphy if he felt unwanted after a deal sending him to the Arizona Coyotes fell through. On the other hand, the Coyotes wanted him enough to strike a second trade involving three other players.

The Avs moved Murphy and winger Matthew Freytag on Monday in exchange for defenceman Luke Ripley and forward Nathan Bastian.

Ripley was also the target in the first deal, and Colorado GM Josh Lewis said he adds more snarl to the team's blueline.

"Look, Murphy had a great rookie season and we still believe he's a future top 4 guy. But it just wasn't working out this year. He was awful and his development stalled. Ripley is a big-time hitter who fills the void left when we moved Carl Sneep. He couldn't shoot the puck through a wet paper bag but he can handle the puck well enough."

Ripley, 26, is a year older than Murphy and makes $400,000 more.

In Bastian, the Avalanche get a 23-year-old who plays a very dependable defensive game and also owns a heavy shot. He's expected to line up on the third line beside Jordan Staal and Zack Kassian, replacing the recently departed Logan Shaw.

"You can never have enough reliable defensive forwards with the talent to play in the top 9," the GM said. "His shooting ability gives us the option of throwing him into the top six if necessary."

Freytag, meanwhile, could be the best player in the trade right now but he has struggled in what was supposed to be a breakthrough season in the NHL, after posting a promising 16 points in 24 games last year. The 23-year-old former first-round pick has just seven points in 17 games this season. As recently as last year, the Avalanche Report called him the best prospect in the organization.

"He's a tough player to part with because he does just about everything well, other than laying the body," Lewis said. "He's young and versatile. Fact is, though, our recent trades dropped him to the third line and we felt $2 million was too much to lay out to an offensive player in the bottom six. Joe Pavelski and Sami Vatanen may be older and have some warts, but we're paying them a combined $1.5 million."

Meanwhile, the Avalanche have recalled defenceman James Greenway from the AHL. The 22-year-old has anchored the Eagles' top pairing this season with 10 points in 18 games, after playing 118 NHL contests the past three years. Lewis says he was rushed by previous management, who kept him for his entire 19-year-old season, but he's now ready for another taste of the big league.

"He's among our best defence prospects and he's certainly ready to take a depth role, but there are guys like that buried all over the league. We wanted to rotate him up for a couple games as a reward for his play in the minors."

To make room, the Avs surprisingly sent down 20-year-old left winger Kirill Marchenko, who has shown decent progression on skill development after an off-season trade from Calgary. However, the results aren't showing on the ice with just four assists in 18 games, despite a stint on the second line.

"He's an NHL player but he needs to get his confidence back. It's hard to get on a tear when you're getting fourth line minutes," Lewis said. "He'll be back up before long."

A flurry of recent trades leave Colorado with these lines for the moment:
Barbashev-Hoefflin-Marner
Vatanen-Pavelski-Kuokkanen
Kassian-Staal-Bastian
Artyukhin-Point-Roslovic
Extra: Chlapik

Bereglazov-Kulikov
Phaneuf-Galin
Ripley-Greenway
Extras: Backman, Graves

Mason
Demko
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Colorado Avalanche Top Prospects - Fall 2020

1. Noel Gunler, RW
Gunler was selected with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft and is playing with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles as an underager. He’s got a bright future as a dangerous top line winger who can do it all on offence, and won’t be a liability on defence.

2. Calle Clang, G
Clang was the Avs’ 49th overall pick this year. He’s got the skill to succeed, but what made him stand out to Colorado is his excellent consistency in the net.

3. Ryan O’Rourke, D
Yet another pick in this year’s draft, 40th overall, O’Rourke is a rugged defender who can hit like a truck. He’s a few years away but he can be compared to the likes of Damir Galin and Alexei Bereglazov, but with more offensive ability.

4. Henry Thrun, D
Thrun has enough offensive skill to run a #2 power play unit, but it’s his steady play defensively that will earn him an NHL job. He was a third-round pick in 2019 but has the potential to make that look like a steal.

5. Jaromir Pytlik, C
Acquired with Thrun from Detroit in the off-season, Pytlik was a second-rounder of the Red Wings in the 2020 draft. His forte is shutting down opposition scorers. The Avs see him as an ideal third-line checker who can chip in some offence as well.

6. Jesse Ylonen, RW
Ylonen was kind of an afterthought in the deal that brought Mitch Marner from Pittsburgh, but he has been tearing up the AHL with his prodigious skill on the attack. But Ylonen’s shoddy commitment to defence is the reason he’s still with the Eagles. He got a two-game callup this year.

7. James Greenway, D
Greenway’s development has stalled somewhat. He needs NHL ice time to keep improving, but has strong shutdown potential. He can also play left wing but his talents are better suited to the blueline.

8. Simon Stransky, LW
Stransky is one of the organization’s most well-rounded players who’s not on the NHL roster. He’s getting top line minutes in the AHL for the second straight year. As with many Eagles players, there are just too many guys ahead of him.

9. Nikita Okhotyuk, D
Okhotyuk was acquired from Tampa in the Carl Sneep trade and projects as another solid shutdown defender. He’s likely a few years away but could emerge as a top 4 guy.

10. Xavier Bernard, D
Bernard is cut from a similar cloth as Okhotyuk and O'Rourke. His offensive skills have been slow to develop in his rookie season with the Eagles, but defence is his specialty. He's thrown 11 hits through 20 games.

11. Colten Ellis, G
Ellis, acquired in the offseason from the Minnesota Wild, is lauded for his consistency. He earned an underage spot with the Eagles and owns a record of 7-6-1-1 this season.

12. Simon Holmstrom, LW
Holmstrom, originally acquired via trade from San Jose, projects as a versatile two-way forward who can contribute offensively and isn't a liability in his own end. He will hit the AHL next year.

13. Filip Hronek, D
Acquired from Edmonton in the Dion Phaneuf trade, Hronek owns more offensive capability than most defenders in the Avs' system. However, it hasn't translated so far in his AHL career. He has four points in 20 games this season.

14. Carl Grundstrom, LW
Grundstrom was acquired in a lateral move with Dallas in the offseason. He projects as a fourth line grinder. He could probably handle that role now, but has to wait his turn. He's got four goals and four assists this season.

15. Aleksi Heponiemi, C
No one on the Eagles' roster has taken a bigger jump from last year than Heponiemi. He only got into 17 games after signing last year, but the 21-year-old centre has posted 25 points already this season.

16. Antoine Morand, C
Morand's game has improved as well, though he isn't putting up Heponiemi-like numbers, with 11 points so far. Both players are offence-first centres who don't have the defensive game for a checking role.

17. Tuukka Tieksola, LW
The 19-year-old left winger came over from the Devils, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2019. He's also mostly a one-dimensional scorer and will join the Eagles next year.

18. Yegor Sokolov, RW
Sokolov was part of the return for free agent signing Dalton Smith. He's a huge defensive forward who has shown good progress as a rookie pro, despite not much ice time, while chipping in five points.

19. Andrei Altybarmakyan, LW
This Russian with a crazy name is in his rookie AHL season despite being 22. Think Tieksola with a smidgen more defensive ability. He has also struggled to get much ice behind higher-profile prospects.

20. Chase De Leo, C
De Leo is having a great year so far, but has made no progress on his severe defensive failings. If he could sort that out, he could be an NHLer. Anyway, he's got 25 points in 20 games for a team that is thin at centre.

21. Jared Hauf, D
A summer free-agent signing, Hauf has definite NHL upside but needs a shot with the big club. At almost 26, it's a stretch to call him a prospect but there is serious untapped potential there.

22. Anton Cederholm, D
Cederholm is in the same boat as Hauf. He plays big minutes for the Eagles, but hasn't gotten a sniff of NHL ice time. At 25, his time is running out. He's formed a solid top pair with James Greenway this year.

23. Jake Ratzlaff, D
Ratzlaff was a fifth-round pick, 130th overall, in the 2020 draft. He doesn't have high upside but could hold down a third-pairing stay-at-home role down the road.

24. Dmitri Ovchinnikov, LW
The Russian winger was an autopick for the Avs in the fourth round this year, but isn't completely useless. He's got a decent all-around game that would enable him to handle a fourth-line role as an injury fill-in.

25. Dennis Gilbert, D/LW
Gilbert has been a huge disappointment this year. A defender who also plays left wing, he's gotten chances to play decent minutes but has hugely regressed defensively, while his offensive side has stagnated.

26. Lenni Killinen, RW
Killinen doesn't have a lot of upside, but the 20-year-old right winger is already a good AHL player at both ends of the ice. He had two points in six games before suffering an injury he has yet to return from.

27. Lucas Elvenes, RW
Elvenes is similar to Ovchinnikov but leans a bit more to offence. He's been able to get into the lineup four times with Killinen's injury but won't see any time in the top 9 this season unless there is an injury crisis.

28. Marcus Karlberg, RW
Karlberg has spent most nights in his rookie season in the press box as well, suiting up for only three games. He's not likely to be NHL material.

29. Daniel Ljungman, C
The third-last pick of the 2020 draft, 148th overall, Ljungman is quite similar to Elvenes, possessing average puck skills and mediocre - but not awful - defensive ability.

30. Dmitri Alexeyev, D
Alexeyev is almost 23 and hasn't been signed yet, but hey, we needed someone to fill the 30th spot.
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Avs swap grinders in deal with Rangers

The Colorado Avalanche swung a minor deal with the New York Rangers on Tuesday, shipping out right winger Evgeny Artyukhin in exchange for winger Carl Klingberg and a fifth-round pick in 2021.

Artyukhin and Klingberg play very similar roles in the bottom six. They hit people. A lot. The trade saves New York $200,000 in cap space, and Avs GM Josh Lewis said that's why they got the pick.

"It's pretty much a wash, although Klingberg is younger. An extra two hundred grand isn't going to hurt our cap situation and it's always nice to get those late-round lottery tickets."

Artyukhin, 37, has five points in 11 games with the Avalanche this season, decent totals for a fourth-liner who has been in and out of the lineup. Colorado claimed him from the Ottawa Senators on Waiver Day before the season began.

Klingberg, 29, is scoreless in 15 games for the Rangers, though he's thrown 19 hits and has 20 takeaways.

The Avs now have nine picks in next year's draft, including three fourths and three fifths.
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Noel Gunler heating up with AHL Eagles

After a modest beginning to his first year in pro hockey, Colorado's first round pick from the 2020 draft is getting some attention of late.

Noel Gunler, drafted 10th overall, started the season with the AHL's Colorado Eagles with only six points in 18 games. But Gunler's offensive skill development has taken off recently and he has posted six points in his past four games.

The 19-year-old is making rapid progress with his shot, playmaking and puck skills, and with 12 points now in 22 games, he stands to put up pretty solid numbers by the end of the year.

Avalanche GM Josh Lewis said Gunler has earned additional playing time.

"We've had him on the second line because he was a bit raw coming out of training camp. But he's going to get a promotion to the top unit. He might even get a call-up or two before the year is done. He just needs to improve his defensive game, like many young kids. If he works hard on that, he could make our club next season."

Gunler is tied for sixth in scoring on the Eagles, behind Chase De Leo, Aleksi Heponiemi, Jesse Ylonen, Simon Stransky and Antoine Morand.
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Avalanche land Yamamoto in big splash with Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche have been tinkering with their top six forward group for weeks, but now they believe they've found a long-term solution.

The Avalanche acquired 22-year-old star forward Kailer Yamamoto from the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, along with defence prospect Hugo Styf, for left wingers Sami Vatanen and Kirill Marchenko.

Yamamoto, who can play centre or right wing, was the Sharks' first-round pick, 28th overall, in the 2017 EHEC Draft. He had a career year in 2019-20 with 23 goals and 56 points, after posting 28 points in 69 games the previous season. This year, however, he's found himself mostly in the minors due to cap issues. That ends right now, said Avs GM Josh Lewis.

"Kailer is pencilled in as our top line centre. He's an excellent faceoff man and has an exciting offensive skill set. He's got a great shot, is an elite playmaker and can handle the puck himself with ease. The downside is he's pretty soft at 5-foot-8, 146 pounds, but other than physicality he shows a solid commitment to defence."

Colorado loses two big pieces of its forward group. Marchenko is just 20 and was acquired in the offseason from the Calgary Flames, along with Dmitry Kulikov. He struggled early on this season, with just four assists in 18 games, which recently got him demoted to the AHL. However, the Russian has progressed quickly in terms of skill development and is well-rounded enough to play on any line.

"Kirill was on our list of guys we were least likely to move," Lewis said. "But when you can get a foundational building block like Yamamoto, you reconsider. He's got a great future in the league as a top 9 player, but the reality is for now he was stuck on our fourth line."

Vatanen, meanwhile, was acquired two weeks ago from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a deal that sent checking forward Logan Shaw the other way. He had two points in six games with the Avs, and has 10 in 21 games total.

"Sami is an asset in that he's very cheap and he's a brilliant playmaker," Lewis said. "That being said, his production has not reflected his abilities. When he was used on defence, he put up solid numbers, but as a forward we weren't seeing what we had hoped for, and he's much too poor defensively to risk throwing him back there. We weren't sure if we could afford to re-sign him, and younger core pieces were going to take priority."

Styf was the Sharks' fourth-round pick in this year's draft, 111th overall. The 18-year-old left shot is very raw, but might have a shot to make the show as a stay-at-home depth defender, similar to Colorado fifth-rounder Jake Ratzlaff.

The Avalanche have lost five of their last six games, so perhaps the addition of Yamamoto can help them turn it around. He's expected to centre Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner to start. Mirko Hoefflin will centre the second line between Joe Pavelski and Janne Kuokkanen.

Meanwhile, Colorado now has room to bring up another forward. Left winger Simon Stransky has played the last three games, but he makes a little too much money to keep with the big club after fitting in Yamamoto's $1.7 million price tag. It's likely the Avs will bring up a cheaper option like Carl Grundstrom or Lenni Killinen. The other option if they move out a bit of salary is Kameron Kielly.
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Colorado completes minor-league swap with Dallas

The Colorado Avalanche followed up a big trade with a little one.

On Saturday, the Avs agreed to send unsigned defence prospect Dmitri Alexeyev to the Dallas Stars for AHL centre Bo Horvat. The move brings the team up to 48 contracts after they dealt two roster players to San Jose for Kailer Yamamoto.

Horvat, 25, has struggled to keep a role in the NHL, appearing in 18 games since 2013. But he's had a productive AHL career, with 433 points in 459 games in the Boston, St. Louis and Dallas organizations. This year he has six goals and 24 points in 24 games.

It remains to be seen how much playing time Horvat will get with the Colorado Eagles, who already have veteran centres Tomas Filippi and Ryan Martindale playing in the bottom six. He fills the roster spot vacated by winger Carl Grundstrom, who was called up after the Yamamoto trade.

Alexeyev, 22, was a fourth-round pick of the Avalanche in 2016 but was never signed by the team. He's AHL-ready and was recently named the Avs' 30th best prospect, for whatever the hell that's worth.
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Avs trade Martindale again

You can't blame Ryan Martindale for feeling confused at this point. The Colorado Avalanche have now acquired him twice, and traded him away twice.

The Avs sent him, prospect Daniel Ljungman and Tampa Bay's fifth-rounder in 2021 to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday for AHL forward Alexandre Fortin.

Acquired recently from the Tampa Bay Lightning to balance out salary in the Sami Vatanen trade, Martindale was buried in the AHL, where he counted for $200,000 against the cap and played in the Eagles' bottom six.

However, after the Avs dealt Kirill Marchenko and Vatanen for Kailer Yamamoto, they had a 14th forward spot to fill but were so tight to the cap, only players making under $630,000 could be recalled. Colorado ended up promoting Carl Grundstrom, a serviceable grinder with some NHL upside, but not their first choice.

Moving Martindale's buried cap hit allowed Colorado more leeway, and they chose to recall left winger Simon Stransky, who is NHL-ready and producing at a point-per-game pace this year.

For taking on the salary, Detroit gets a fringe prospect and a late pick. Ljungman was the third-last player selected in the 2020 EHEC draft, going 148th overall. He has the offensive upside to play in the NHL, but not enough for a top six role, and he's below average defensively so isn't a good fit on a checking line.

The draft pick was acquired from Tampa Bay for taking on Martindale, and now goes with him to Detroit.

Fortin, 23, has put up only three points in 23 games for Detroit's farm team this year, after posting 25 points last season. He was a sixth-round pick (a round that no longer exists) of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2015. The centre has the skill to succeed in the AHL, but isn't likely to get much playing time for the Eagles, who went from being thin down the middle to now having Antoine Morand, Aleksi Heponiemi, Chase De Leo, Tomas Filippi and Bo Horvat at centre.

Speaking of Morand, he has been en fuego since joining the top line for the Eagles. He's racked up 13 points in his last five games to pull him just shy of the point-per game mark. Linemate Noel Gunler has gained confidence and the 19-year-old has 12 points in his last seven games, for season totals of 11 goals and 18 points in 25 games.

The third member of the line, Jesse Ylonen, now leads the Eagles in scoring with 20 goals and 30 points in 22 games.
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Colorado ships Backman to Rangers

The Colorado Avalanche cleared a roster spot on defence Thursday, trading defenceman Mattias Backman to the New York Rangers. The Avs also give up a 2024 fifth-round pick, while receiving a fourth in 2022, defence prospect Jakub Galvas and AHL goalie Eamon McAdam.

Backman was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this season in a deal that sent Carl Sneep the other way. He was held scoreless in 12 games for Colorado, but excelled in hits and takeaways on the third pairing.

"Despite his low con, he was really steady for us and we won more games than not when he dressed," said GM Josh Lewis. "That said, Ryan Graves is starting to hit his stride and it's an opportunity for a guy like James Greenway or Jared Hauf to come up."

Colorado recalled Hauf, 25, after the trade. Greenway is the player they'd really like to bring up, but his $1.2 million price tag means they'll have to shed some cap to do so. Hauf was signed as a free agent this summer and has major upside defensively.

Galvas, 21, is a former fourth-round pick who remains unsigned. Lewis said he will be inked to serve as a depth defenceman for the AHL Colorado Eagles. McAdam, meanwhile, will be sent to the minors and count $250,000 against the cap. The Eagles already have veteran Mason McDonald and rookie Colten Ellis, but McAdam is talented enough he may see some time.
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Colorado deals Bastian to Wings for cap relief

Six weeks after acquiring him, the Colorado Avalanche have traded right winger Nathan Bastian to the Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit also receives grinder Carl Klingberg in exchange for veteran forwards Ryan Stone and Joe Thornton, forward prospect Cross Hanas and a fifth-round pick in this year's draft.

Immediately following the trade, the Avs called up 19-year-old right winger Noel Gunler, their first-round pick in 2020, who has been improving at a rapid pace in the AHL.

Avalanche GM Josh Lewis said his team doesn't come out as the winner in the trade, but with significant money tied up in buried players and buyouts, something had to give.

"We sold Bastian for 50 cents on the dollar, no question. However, with Gunler's $1.5 million draft slot, someone making decent money had to go to bring him up. The season has not gone as we planned, so we're using bottom six spots to develop our AHL kids."

Klingberg was counting $200,000 against the cap in the AHL, so that gives the team some additional relief.

Thornton and Stone were waived and sent to the minors, but Lewis said either player could see a callup in case of injury.

"They're both good enough to play depth roles, particularly Stone, who would be a good fit on our checking line. But the reality is we have younger and cheaper options."

Hanas, a fifth-round pick of the Wings in 2020, is well-rounded enough to earn a depth role in the future. The Avs also add to their stockpile of picks - they now own nine in the 2021 draft.

Meanwhile, Colorado recently claimed goaltender Juuse Saros off waivers from Arizona. Some saw it as a head-scratching move with Thatcher Demko already cemented as the backup, and particularly because it gives the team six goalies playing pro.

"We saw it as a chance to add talent to a key position. Saros has the consistency to be a very steady backup, and with both Mason and Demko on expiring contracts, he gives us a guaranteed cheap option for next season."
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Pavelski to New York as Avs shift into selling mode

The Colorado Avalanche traded away a second forward since Christmas on Sunday as the team begins to sell after a disappointing first half to the season.

The Avs dealt 36-year-old centre Joe Pavelski and AHL defence prospect Filip Hronek to the New York Rangers in exchange for forward prospects Jack Perbix and Brandon Coe.

Pavelski has just 13 points in 33 games this year between San Jose and Colorado and made little impact in Denver despite getting top six minutes.

"We decided to cut our losses and get back what we paid for him, which was Coe for LeBlanc and then LeBlanc for Pavelski," said GM Josh Lewis.

Coe, a right winger, was Colorado's own third-round pick in the 2020 draft, 80th overall.

Perbix, 20, was a third-rounder of the Rangers in 2018. He has only six points in 29 AHL games so far this season, but the Avalanche see him as a definite NHL player in the future.

"He's got the skill on offence and the responsibility on defence to plug in on any line. He won't be a game-breaker but a valuable all-around forward."

Hronek, 23, was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers with Dion Phaneuf in the off-season. He has shown growth this year, mostly on offence, despite only nine points in 41 games. But his lack of potential and physical play could hold him back from the NHL.

The Avalanche are now down to 49 contracts. They now have room to call up another forward, though it's uncertain who that will be. Candidates include Carl Grundstrom, Tomas Filippi, Ryan Stone, Joe Thornton and Andrei Altybarmakyan.
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Avs swap farm prospects with Coyotes

The Colorado Avalanche made their second deal of 2021 on Tuesday, sending centre prospect Aleksi Heponiemi to the Arizona Coyotes for defence prospect Markus Niemelainen.

Heponiemi, who will soon turn 22, has had a strong season in the AHL so far, putting up 11 goals and 36 points for the Colorado Eagles, despite missing several games to injury. He was a fourth-round pick of the Avalanche in 2017.

Niemelainen, 22, has 10 points in 40 games in his third AHL season. He was a second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2016.

"Niemelainen is developing nicely in the defensive zone and he's ready for his first test at the NHL level," said Colorado GM Josh Lewis. "Although he won't be an impact player at the next level, we think he has the ability to play a regular role on the third pairing.

"Heponiemi has certainly had a great year so far, but he's a guy who's hard to pencil into the future lineup. His game is about offence, but he doesn't project as a top six forward. And he's too subpar on defence to make our bottom six. Niemelainen is an asset we're more likely to use."

It appears Niemelainen will start with the Eagles, replacing Filip Hronek in the top four after the latter was traded to the Rangers. But if the Avs have an injury or trade a defenceman, he would likely get the first callup.
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Avalanche trade Thornton for picks

It's only 20 days into the new year, but the Colorado Avalanche have already made two trades with the Arizona Coyotes.

On Wednesday, the Avs shipped veteran centre Joe Thornton to the desert for fifth-round picks in 2022 and 2023, as well as AHL forward Erik Haula.

Thornton, 41, was part of the Colorado organization for less than a month after he was acquired from Detroit in late December in the Nathan Bastian trade. He was sent to the AHL Colorado Eagles and never played a game due to the threat of vopatization.

The grey beard, who hit the 1,000 assist milestone earlier this year, joins his fourth team of the 2020-21 season as the Coyotes gear up for a playoff run. He's been a solid producer this year with 18 points in 32 games.

"It's not a major deal, but it helps us recoup a little more value for Bastian," said GM Josh Lewis. "We now have three fifth rounders and prospect Cross Hanas from that trade, plus Ryan Stone, who is also on the market."

Stone was recently called up but has seen time in the press box in favour of younger options.

Haula, 29, has scored seven goals and one assist in 34 games with the Coyotes' farm team this year. He's on an expiring contract and is not expected to see game action with the Eagles unless there are injuries.

Colorado now has nine picks in the 2021 draft, eight in 2022 and seven in 2021.
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Avalanche trade Stone to Edmonton

The Colorado Avalanche continue to stockpile draft picks, sending veteran winger Ryan Stone to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday for fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2023. The Avs also receive AHL defenceman Teddy Ruth.

Stone, 36, was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings a month ago in a package for Nathan Bastian. He only played a handful of games in a Colorado jersey. The Avs' final return for Bastian consists of two fourth-round picks, three fifth-rounders and prospect Cross Hanas.

"That's a lot of lottery tickets, and judging from the strength of last year's draft we hope to get a couple of future NHLers out of them," said GM Josh Lewis.

Ruth, 31, has not played a game this season and will continue to sit in the press box with the Eagles. He's been in the Oilers' system since 2011, playing 10 NHL games in that time. His contract expires after the season.

Meanwhile, rumours are flying that the Avalanche are getting close to dealing star defenceman Dion Phaneuf, who will be a free agent this summer.
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Kassian suspended for ending Merrill's career

The Colorado Avalanche lost 3-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night, but no one was talking about the score after the game.

Midway through the second period, Colorado's Zack Kassian went into the corner with former teammate Jonathan Merrill and destroyed his knee. Word after the game was that Merrill would announce his retirement due to the severity of the injury.

Kassian was suspended 10 games for attempt to injury, although judging from the consequences there will surely be calls for it to be much longer. However, the length of the suspension will allow Kassian to return about a week before the trade deadline and showcase himself.

Merrill, a 29-year-old defenceman, was traded to Edmonton last year in the deal for Dion Phaneuf. He was having a strong year too, with 31 points through 51 games.

The suspension to Kassian will open up even more time for the Avs' young forwards to show what they can do. The recent trade of Joe Pavelski had opened up a spot on the second line. There's only one problem for Colorado: they would like to give Brayden Point some additional ice, but the hole in the top six is at left wing, a position he can't play. The only player in the top six who could shift into that spot is Mirko Hoefflin, but with his 99 FA the Avs presumably want to keep him in the middle. Point isn't about to take a spot from Mitch Marner, Kailer Yamamoto or Janne Kuokkanen either, so he'll stay on the third line.
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Avs ship Phaneuf to Islanders in blockbuster deal

As it turns out, Dion Phaneuf's tenure with the Colorado Avalanche lasted less than a season.

The 35-year-old star defenceman was traded to the New York Islanders earlier this week, along with AHL forward Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick, for defenceman Duncan Siemens, winger Nolan Foote and a first-round pick.

Phaneuf had been acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the summer as the Avs beefed up their team, but the 2020-21 season hasn't played out as hoped.

"I think it's clear at this point we misjudged the talent on our roster," said Avalanche GM Josh Lewis. "Our strong play toward the end of last year had us optimistic we could be a playoff team with a few additions. But we haven't been anywhere near the playoff picture this year. We had to decide whether to re-sign Dion at a slight raise or trade him, and it didn't make sense to commit that much money at his age, given our team's direction."

Phaneuf had seven goals and 25 points in 52 games this season. He will be a UFA this summer but the Islanders have indicated their intention to extend him.

Meanwhile Siemens, 27, is a big addition to Colorado's back end. He's also a free agent in the off-season but the Avs plans to extend him on a long-term deal. The former first-round pick of the Nashville Predators is a devastating hitter who plays a defence-first game. He also has some offensive ability with 20 points in 51 games for the Islanders.

"He's a great skater, provides some leadership and he's durable," the GM said. "There's no drop-off defensively at all from Dion. He'll suit up on the top pair with Kulikov. We hope to have Duncan in the lineup for a long time. We were looking for more of a futures-based return but he's a nice building block."

Foote, 20, was a second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2019, going 32nd overall. He's spent most of his rookie pro season in the AHL, with 14 goals and 29 points in 42 games. He's also played nine NHL games though and he's expected to stay on the Avalanche roster.

"Nolan will probably be a regular on our fourth line for the rest of the season," the GM said. "He's a very well-rounded, responsible player. With our focus on developing prospects in the bottom six, he brings a skill set most of them don't have."

Foote projects as a defensive forward who plays a physical game. He also has a good shot and will contribute some offence.

"He's not going to be a star in the league, but he's a safe bet for a long career."

The draft pick is in this year's draft and it belongs to Ottawa, meaning it will be very late in the first round.

"We're still excited to get that pick though. Judging from the talent we got with our second-rounders last year, we hope to get an impact player in that spot."

Grundstrom, 23, is a grinder whose lack of offensive ability holds him back. He's capable of a fourth line role but probably not on a good team. Originally a third-round pick of the Boston Bruins in 2016, Grundstrom has 13 points in 47 AHL games this season and has also played three games for the Avalanche.
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Avalanche send Staal back to Chicago in blockbuster

The Colorado Avalanche have parted ways with Jordan Staal in the midst of an underwhelming first season with the Avs.

Colorado traded the veteran centre and minor league forward Erik Haula to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday in exchange for physical forward Tyler Biggs and AHL winger Sebastien Collberg.

Biggs, 27, is cut from the same cloth as Staal: a big defensive forward and an even better hitter than the 35-year-old centre. Biggs can play right wing or centre and is expected to join Zack Kassian on the Avs' third line. He has 10 goals and 25 points in 58 games this year.

Staal, meanwhile, has been a huge disappointment offensively. In 2019-20, he racked up 26 goals and 56 points with the Hawks. This year he has a measly 13 points in 59 games. He's also a minus-11, though the Avalanche have been quite bad as a team.

"I'm not going to hide the fact we expected a lot more from Jordan. Sure, he wasn't in our top six but we play our third line a lot of minutes and he was also on the second power play unit until we realized he could only manage a point every five games," said GM Josh Lewis.

"We got him because we believe an elite defensive forward and faceoff man at third-line centre is key to building a championship team. But we're nowhere near that stage as a team and the guy is 35. We're happy to get much younger with Biggs. He's not a phenomenal faceoff guy so we're not sure if he slots in as a winger or centre long term. But he's a big piece of the puzzle."

Biggs is in the last year of a contract that pays him $3.9 million annually. He's expected to get a raise this summer in the same neighbourhood as Staal, who makes $6.36 million.

Collberg, who will turn 27 next week, is leading the Rockford IceHogs in scoring this season with 62 points, including an incredible 45 goals. He scored 66 goals in Nashville's system last year. He isn't expected to see time with the Avalanche but represents a call-up option who can score. It's his lack of defensive acumen that holds him back.

Haula, 29, has seven goals and an assist in 34 AHL games this year. He was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes for Joe Thornton last month and did not play a game for the AHL's Colorado Eagles.
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Avalanche send Ripley to Blackhawks

The Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks have completed their second trade in the past week.

The Avs shipped defenceman Luke Ripley to the Windy City for forward Tyrel Seaman and defenceman Jordan Schmaltz.

Ripley, 26, had 10 points in 49 games between the Avs and Arizona Coyotes this season. He was a staple in their top four but recently was healthy scratched several times so Colorado could dress both Ryan Graves and Jared Hauf and develop them.

"We had no plans to trade Luke, in fact we rebuffed an inquiry from Chicago earlier this season," said GM Josh Lewis. "He's a stellar shutdown guy, very consistent. We've been looking to clear a spot on the blueline for a while though since James Greenway, Markus Niemelainen and Xavier Bernard are all NHL-ready. We've called up Greenway and he'll audition for the rest of the season to see what we've got in him."

Seaman, 27, is an exceptional face-off man who can play centre or left wing. He has eight goals and 20 points in 41 games with the Hawks this season. He's expected to centre the Avs' third line for the time being.

"He's not a game-breaker by any means, but gives us a solid 3C option. He's strong defensively but has some scoring capability too. We don't have a lot of forward depth, unless you count half-baked prospects who are developing at a snail's pace."

Schmaltz, 27, is a stay-at-home defenceman who can make the first pass out of the zone. He's very disciplined and has some strength. He's got eight assists in 37 games for Chicago this year.

"He's a serviceable #6 guy. We're more focused on developing our kids, so he's going straight to the trade block. He's under contract for next season so he could play a role if he stays," Lewis said.

Multiple sources say Colorado has made Steve Mason, Zack Kassian and Mirko Hoefflin available ahead of the Feb. 28 trade deadline.
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Avs trade Mason to Los Angeles

The Colorado Avalanche continue to retool leading up to the trade deadline, shipping starting goaltender Steve Mason to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

In return, the Avs receive defence prospect Dmitri Semykin and LA's third round pick in the 2023 EHEC draft.

Mason, 32, was acquired from the Nashville Predators in the off-season. He has posted the worst numbers of his career on a struggling team, with 38 starts to date. He owns a record of 10-21-1-3, with a 3.53 GAA and .864 save percentage. He's in the final year of a $1.1 million contract.

"It just hasn't worked out with Steve this year. A lot of that is on the team, not him. It's tough in a losing season, although we certainly did expect better numbers from him," said GM Josh Lewis. "He kept us in a lot of games though. He's been a workhorse."

Semykin, 21, has 10 assists in 61 games in his rookie pro season in the AHL. He's already developed strong hitting and man-to-man defence abilities, but needs some work on his positioning and offensive skills.

"He projects as a good 4-5-6 defenceman with enough offensive ability to perhaps play on the second power play unit," said the GM. "He'll join a nice group of developing blueliners with the Eagles. He could be NHL-ready as early as next year but there's no rush."

The Avs also continue to add to their stockpile of picks in the next three years. They now own nine picks in each of those drafts.

"We hope to be competitive by 2023 if not earlier, so those picks also become trade chips," Lewis said.

Here's a look at what the Avalanche gave up and received in their two Mason trades:

In:
2020 2nd round pick (Calle Clang, G)
2020 3rd round pick (Brandon Coe, RW)
Dmitri Semykin, D
2023 3rd round pick

Out:
2020 1st round pick (Jean-Luc Foudy, LW)
Isaiah Saville, G
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AVALANCHE SWING NINE-PLAYER DEAL WITH DALLAS

The Colorado Avalanche shook up its roster and the league Wednesday night with one of the biggest trades in franchise history. Nine players and a draft pick changed hands in the megadeal with the Dallas Stars.

Going to the Stars are defensive forward Zack Kassian, goalies Thatcher Demko and Colten Ellis, and centre Jack Roslovic.

In return, the Avs get defenceman Brent Seabrook, goalies Alex Nedeljkovic and Matt Tompkins, forward Taylor Raddysh, defence prospect Daniil Misyul and a fourth-round pick in 2022.

Kassian and Seabrook are certainly the cornerstones of the trade, but there is much more to it on both sides.

Kassian, 30, has been a staple on the Avs' third line the last three years. The left winger has struggled mightily on offence in 2020-21 though with just seven points in 51 games. He has one year left on a contract that pays him a massive $6.8 million.

"Defensive forwards are key to winning, but we're doing an awful lot of losing. Kassian just wasn't making enough of an impact for being the highest-paid forward on the roster," said GM Josh Lewis. "We're happy to get a boatload in return for him while making the salaries work for Dallas. With a change of scenery he could have a huge impact in the playoffs."

Kassian just finished serving a 10-game suspension for intent to injure.

Demko, 25, started the year as Colorado's backup but was demoted to the AHL when they claimed Juuse Saros off waivers from Arizona. He posted a 4-6 record in 11 appearances for the Avs with a 3.26 GAA and .878 save percentage, and also went 2-2-1 in AHL action. He's due a significant raise next season.

"He's a promising 1B type, but there are lots of high-con options like him around the league. He wasn't great this year. We're happy to get Nedeljkovic, who's an upgrade in both skill and consistency. He's comparable to a younger Jack Campbell."

Nedeljkovic, also 25, owns a 15-11 record in 26 starts for the Stars, with a 3.11 GAA and .877 save percentage. At this point he's the projected starter next season with Saros backing up.

The teams also swapped AHL goaltenders. Colten Ellis, 20, is in his rookie pro season and has been a workhorse for the Colorado Eagles in net. He has a 21-23-1-2 record with an ugly 4.00 GAA and .849 save percentage, though the AHL stats glitch may be misrepresenting his numbers.

"Ellis projects as a backup, similar to Saros with very high con. It's not great to give up a goalie prospect, especially since Tompkins is just a body to tandem with Mason McDonald. But with both NHL goalies just entering their prime, it's not too concerning. We'll be developing Calle Clang in the AHL next season."

There were high expectations for Jack Roslovic, 24, this season, but his potential hasn't materialized so far. He's got five goals and 13 points in 51 games. The former 131-point AHL scorer has time to figure it out but has to start soon.

"We used our bottom six to try to develop our forward prospects this season and it hasn't really borne much fruit. We now have other youngsters to audition."

Taking a look at the return Colorado got, other than the goalies, Seabrook is a veteran stud on the back end. At 36, he's still very much a top-pairing defenceman and word is the Avalanche may flip him to another team before Sunday's deadline. He has 18 points in 63 games for Dallas this year.

"The guy is an absolute beast. He's hard to play against every night, he's consistent, he's an excellent shutdown guy with good hands to create some offence too. His endurance is exceptional. He's very durable, unlike in real life. And he's strong as a bull. What more do you want?" said Lewis.

"That being said at 36, we are certainly exploring the possibility of moving him for more futures. He needs a raise next season."

Raddysh, 23, is a top prospect and has the ability to become an elite top line winger. He has 17 goals and 35 points in 58 AHL games this season. He does have 143 NHL games under his belt with only 27 points.

"It looks to me like Minnesota rushed him. He shouldn't have been playing every night in the NHL at age 20. Now he's NHL-ready but like Roslovic or Chlapik, he has a long way to go at 23. We believe we can get him developed into a top sixer anyway. He'll get every chance with us the rest of the season and next year."

Misyul, 20, is still playing in junior. He was the Stars' second-round pick in 2019. He joins Colorado's group of D prospects that already includes Henry Thrun, Ryan O'Rourke, Nikita Okhotyuk, Xavier Bernard, James Greenway, Markus Niemelainen, Jake Ratzlaff and Hugo Styf. He projects as a defensive top four rearguard.

The Avs now have 10 picks in the 2022 draft.

"We're very happy with this deal. We feel we maximized Kassian's value while improving our goaltending, adding two strong prospects to our system and acquiring an All-Star defenceman with major value," Lewis said.

"We've been able to hugely restructure our roster by trading our older stars on big contracts while adding impact roster players, great prospects and a couple more picks."

Here's a look at what Colorado has done over the past 10 days leading up to the deadline:

In:
Brent Seabrook, D
Tyler Biggs, C/RW
Alex Nedeljkovic, G
Tyrel Seaman, C
Taylor Raddysh, RW
Daniil Misyul, D
Dmitri Semykin, D
Jordan Schmaltz, D
Sebastian Collberg, LW
Matt Tompkins, G
4th rounder 2022
3rd rounder 2023

Out:
Steve Mason, G
Zack Kassian, LW
Jordan Staal, C
Luke Ripley, D
Jack Roslovic, C
Thatcher Demko, G
Colten Ellis, G
Erik Haula, LW
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Avs acquire Bristedt, picks from Flyers

Along with much bigger trades in the lead-up to Sunday's trade deadline, the Colorado Avalanche also made a smaller deal with the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.

The Avs picked up forward Leon Bristedt, a fifth-rounder in 2021 and a fourth-rounder in 2023 for forward Tomas Filippi.

"This was purely a cap-related move," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "The Flyers were looking to trim some salary and we were happy to get some picks for taking on Bristedt's contract."

Bristedt, 26, is on the last year of a deal paying him $1.35 million. He has six goals and six assists in 61 games with the Flyers this season. He's expected to be sent to the AHL Colorado Eagles.

Filippi, 28, has been tearing it up in the AHL since Colorado signed him for depth early in the season. He has 23 goals and 38 points in 29 games with the Eagles. But he has 634 games of NHL experience.
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No comment on Seabrook being dealt to the Sens? :)
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SensGM wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 10:56 am No comment on Seabrook being dealt to the Sens? :)
Was waiting till I had more time to write it up. Coming soon.
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Avs flip Seabrook to Sens in seven-player deal

Brent Seabrook played exactly one game for the Colorado Avalanche.

After coming over from Dallas as the centrepiece of the Zack Kassian trade, Seabrook was subsequently flipped to the Ottawa Senators in a deal involving seven players and two draft picks.

The Avalanche sent Seabrook, forward Tyrel Seaman, defenceman Anton Cederholm and fourth-round picks in 2021 and 2022 to the Senators in exchange for forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Nate Schnarr and prospects Donovan Sebrango and Nikita Alexandrov.

Huberdeau, 27, is a skilled playmaker who can play centre or left wing. Like Seabrook, he's on the final year of his contract, which pays him $4.36 million. The Senators had acquired him from Boston just a few days earlier. He had 11 goals and 23 points in 45 games for the Bruins this season.

"He's a lot younger than Seabrook, and younger than Kassian as well so that's a big plus," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "We plan to re-sign him, but it's too early to say whether he'll be in our lineup next season or end up being dealt in the summer. He has lots to offer with soft hands, good skating and a very strong faceoff guy."

Schnarr, 21, is a defensive forward who plays a punishing physical game and is reliable in the faceoff dot. He also has some offensive ability, evidenced by his 97-point campaign in the AHL last season. The rookie has six goals and 14 points in 40 games for the Sens this year. Schnarr was drafted in the second round, 45th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017.

"He's a responsible bottom six guy, well-rounded, and he's still got some untapped potential on the defensive side. We like him as either a fourth-line centre or on the wing of a hit and grind line with Tyler Biggs. And he's under contract for another year at only $1 mil, which is nice."

Sebrango, 19, was Ottawa's third-round pick, 82nd overall, in the 2020 draft. He projects as a steady stay-at-home defenceman. The Avalanche were high on him on draft day as well. He's shown a scoring touch in his rookie AHL season, with 12 goals and 22 points in 60 games.

"We almost took him with our 80th overall pick, but opted for Brandon Coe instead. We're happy to get him now. I believe our stable of defence prospects is among the best in the league and he just adds to it."

Alexandrov, 20, was a fourth-round pick of the Bruins in the 2019 draft, 95th overall. He also went to Ottawa in the recent Huberdeau trade. Scouts see him as a serviceable bottom six player with a two-way game, but leaning more to the defensive side.

"Don't forget the most important part," the GM reminds me. "He's a former Charlottetown Islanders star. That puts us back up to six former Charlottetown players after we had to deal Colten Ellis in the Kassian trade - Chlapik, Kielly, Graves, Bernard and McDonald are the others."

Seaman was also a recent acquisition, coming from Chicago for Luke Ripley. Cederholm, 26, was picked up last season from Dallas in exchange for Nikolay Goldobin. He had potential to be a shutdown defender in the NHL, but between his age and lack of opportunity it didn't work out in Colorado. He has three goals and eight points in 66 AHL games this season.

Despite giving up the two fourth-rounders, after all their deadline dealings, the Avalanche now have 28 picks in the next three drafts.
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Avalanche winning the race to the bottom

One year after their new GM declared the Colorado Avalanche had the playoffs in sight in 2020-21, they are dead last in the EHEC.

The Avalanche have been battling the Detroit Red Wings for last spot in the new year, but Detroit's riding a hot streak with a 6-2-3 record in their last 11 games. That means they're four points ahead of the Avs, with a game in hand.

Getting the first overall pick would be a franchise-altering moment, but staying there in the EHEC draft lottery is anything but a guarantee. More often than not with this setup, we've seen teams much higher in the standings jump up despite their low odds. But Colorado may get lucky like the Leafs did in 2016 with Matthews.

The Avs' ownership group of Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Patrick Roy and Adam Foote were asked yesterday about GM Josh Lewis' job security. Today Sakic released a statement:

"This has been a very disappointing year for the organization to be sure. But we believe in the direction he's taken the team. Some big moves leading up to the trade deadline brought a lot of value back for older key players. We're overflowing with picks and have a pretty strong prospect pool, although there's more quantity than quality. We fully stand behind our GM and look forward to this retool coming to fruition with some playoff appearances. No, we're not putting a date on that."

One reason the Avalanche have struggled is the use of some bottom six and defence spots to develop players who have potential but aren't contributing much at this point. Young forwards Filip Chlapik, Noel Gunler, Simon Stransky, Kameron Kielly and the recently departed Jack Roslovic have posted just 32 points in a combined 171 games and none have shown much progress in their game.

It's doubtful all of these fringe young forwards will still be with the organization next season. Gunler, the 10th overall pick in last summer's draft, is an untouchable. But any or all of the other three could find themselves on the move.

Meanwhile, Kailer Yamamoto has been a big disappointment since coming over from the Sharks in the fall. The 22-year-old centre has nine goals and 20 points in 47 games, despite being on the top line most of the year. Colorado will be looking for more from him next year.

There's better news on defence though as Ryan Graves and Jared Hauf have made big leaps in their defensive play. Graves started the year as the #7 defenceman and Hauf played 26 games in the AHL before being brought up. They've combined for three points in 85 games but that's not what they're there for.

The Avalanche will likely move out a defenceman or two this off-season. Along with Hauf and Graves, they have James Greenway, Markus Niemelainen and Xavier Bernard all ready for prime time. Greenway is the oldest of them and needs regular NHL ice. He got his second callup of the year recently and now has a goal and an assist in nine games.

The position with the most certainty next year is in net, unless the Avs get an offer they can't refuse. Alex Nedeljkovic and Juuse Saros were both acquired this season, Saros off waivers and Nedeljkovic in the recent Kassian trade. Colorado had a goalie logjam for a while, but moved out Steve Mason and Thatcher Demko leading up to the deadline.

Nedeljkovic and Saros are both very consistent, if unspectacular goalies. Nedeljkahuigreanovic has a little more talent and will be the starter, though at $2.5 million he makes three times as much as Saros.

Calle Clang, the 49th overall pick last year, will play with the AHL's Colorado Eagles next year. He's pretty similar to Nedeljkovic, but raw. The Avalanche also have veterans Mason McDonald and Matt Tompkins under contract for next year. Look for Clang to take over the starter's job midway through the season once his game has seen some growth.

The Avs have a bumper crop of prospects also joining the Eagles next season. They include forwards Jaromir Pytlik, Simon Holmstrom, Tuukka Tieksola and Nikita Alexandrov, and defencemen Henry Thrun, Daniil Misyul and Nikita Okhotyuk. With veterans Sebastien Collberg, Bo Horvat, Kielly, Dmitry Yermoshenko, Jordan Schmaltz and Luke Green all under contract next season, there should be a good mix.
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Avalanche 2020-21 Season in Review

Well, it was a disastrous season for the Colorado Avalanche in comparison to the team's expectations.

The Avs finished dead last in the EHEC, with a record of 21-53-1-7 for 49 points. They were also last in goal differential at -96 and led the league in penalties by a huge margin, thanks to Mirko Hoefflin's astonishing inability to play disciplined hockey. He led the EHEC with 258 PIMs, which isn't even his career high.

The season began with playoff hopes for the Avalanche after a number of off-season deals were expected to bolster the roster. However, the team struggled after a hot start and never recovered. As the season slipped out of reach, they began using more roster spots to develop prospects.

Not a single player cracked the 50-point plateau this season. Hoefflin led the team in scoring for the second straight year, this time with only 48 points. His 25 goals made him one of only two to hit the 20-goal mark, with Janne Kuokkanen scoring 20 on the nose as part of a 46-point season.

The best that can be said is the Avs spread out the meager offence they did manage, with Mitch Marner's 45 points right behind the top two, followed by Ivan Barbashev with 40 and Dmitry Kulikov with 38.

"It's really quite pathetic when no one on the team can manage 50 points, even with the ridiculously low scoring level in the league," said GM Josh Lewis. "I know the leading scorer in the whole league only had 87 points last year. But this is not peewee AA, this is the show. We need guys to produce."

Keep in mind Colorado shipped out Dion Phaneuf, Jordan Staal and Zack Kassian during the season, but the latter two were truly embarrassing offensively and richly deserved to be sent away.

Looking at the players making up the youth movement, Brayden Point had 27 points, Kailer Yamamoto had 20 in 51 games and Noel Gunler posted 11 in 32 games. After that, Filip Chlapik, Simon Stransky, Kameron Kielly, Jesse Ylonen, Andrei Altybarmakyan, Taylor Raddysh and Nolan Foote combined for a piddly 36 points in 169 games.

"The utter lack of offence from most of the young guys certainly played a big role in our demise," the GM said. "Some of them have probably played their way out of the organization, but we'll see what happens in the off-season."

On defence, even with Phaneuf being traded, Colorado finished the season with a strong group that includes Kulikov, Duncan Siemens, Alexei Bereglazov, Damir Galin, Jared Hauf and Ryan Graves. James Greenway and Markus Niemelainen both got call-ups late in the season. Greenway has been a top D prospect for several years but the time is getting thin to establish himself as an NHLer.

"We were really happy with what we saw from Graves and Hauf. Their performance showed we were right to make room for them. Neither will ever see any power play time but they can defend like the dickens. Both figure into our plans for next season," Lewis said.

A lot has changed in net, where the Avs started the season with Steve Mason and Thatcher Demko, and ended it with Alex Nedeljkovic and Juuse Saros. Nedeljkovic was acquired in the Kassian trade, which also sent Demko to Dallas. Saros was a waiver claim from Arizona mid-season.

Colorado's focus now turns to the draft, particularly the lottery, where they hope to retain the first overall pick after finishing last. The Avs had a strong 2020 draft that netted Gunler along with Ryan O'Rourke, Calle Clang and others. A top pick in 2021 should help accelerate the rebuild.

The Avalanche also own Ottawa's first-round pick from the Phaneuf trade, which will be a late one. They have one pick each in the second, third and fourth rounds, and four picks in the fifth.
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