Avalanche Report

[AvalancheGM]

Colorado Avalanche Off-Season Game Plan

Coming off a dead-last finish in the NHL this year, it's clear changes will be made to the Colorado Avalanche roster in the off-season.

GM Josh Lewis said while the club is open to adding talent, the plan is to recoup more futures for several remaining vets on the roster, thereby opening up more room to develop young talent.

Other teams have been made aware Dmitry Kulikov is available, although it will have to be a very strong package to convince the Avs to part with the stud defender. Fellow defencemen Alexei Bereglazov, Damir Galin and perhaps even Duncan Siemens can also be had for the right price.

Up front, the Avs have already dealt most of their older core, but Mirko Hoefflin, Jonathan Huberdeau and Tyler Biggs remain.

"Actually," GM Lewis interrupts, "we just pulled off a deal involving Hoefflin. We're not allowed to announce it till playoffs are over, but safe to say our PIM total won't be as high next year. Honestly, that guy had the discipline of a moose with ADHD."

Huberdeau is said to be involved in trade talks with a deal near completion, but not done yet. He was indirectly acquired for Zack Kassian at the deadline, along with futures.

At this point it appears the Avalanche plan to hang onto Biggs, even with his raise to $6.5 million next year. The defensive stud was acquired mid-season for Jordan Staal. At 99 hitting, the 28-year-old should anchor Colorado's third line.

Sources say the team has had one offer on one of its goalies but turned it down. For now Alex Nedeljkovic and Juuse Saros are entrenched as the goalies next year.

The Avalanche are expected to re-sign most of their pending free agents, except for Leon Bristedt and Chase De Leo.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs Prospect Report

With the 2020-21 season over, it's time to take another look at Colorado's lengthy prospect list.

1. Noel Gunler, RW - 32-6-5-11 (NHL), 50-29-25-54 (AHL)
The Swedish sniper stays on top after a solid first pro season. It took the teenager some time to adjust, but by mid-season he was tearing up the AHL and earned two months with the big club. He'll be a permanent NHLer next season.

2. Ryan O’Rourke, D - N/A (junior)
3. Calle Clang, G - N/A (junior)
4. Henry Thrun, D - N/A (junior)
5. Jaromir Pytlik, C - N/A (junior)

The top 5 remains the same from our last ranking. These four are building blocks for Colorado and most if not all will join the AHL Eagles next year.

6. Jack Perbix, C - 49-15-26-41 (AHL), 7-0-0-0 (NHL)
Acquired mid-season from the Rangers, Perbix had a strong first year in the AHL and earned a callup at the end of the season. He has a chance to make the Avs next year, but could spend another season on the Eagles' top line.

7. Xavier Bernard, D - 82-2-7-9 (AHL)
Bernard established himself as a physical stay-at-home presence in his rookie AHL season. If the Avs can clear their backlog of defencemen, he should anchor the Eagles' top pair next season.

8. Nikita Okhotyuk, D - N/A (junior)
Okhotyuk was acquired from Tampa and is part of an extremely strong collection of young defencemen that the Avs keep adding to. He'll man the Eagles' blueline in 2021-22.

9. Donovan Sebrango, D - 68-14-16-30 (AHL)
Acquired from Ottawa at the deadline, Sebrango was nearly picked by Colorado in last year's draft and had an excellent first year pro, becoming a goal and point-scoring threat from the back end. At 19 he's already on the verge of being NHL-ready.

10. Nolan Foote, LW - 43-14-15-29 (AHL), 26-2-3-5 (NHL)
Foote brings gritty qualities that the young Avs lack, with some offensive instincts as well. He was a staple in their bottom six after coming over from the Islanders in the Phaneuf trade, and should be a third liner on next year's team.

11. Daniil Misyul, D - N/A (junior)
Misyul was one of the pieces acquired from Dallas for Zack Kassian. He's likely to play for the Eagles next year and is yet another solid defensive rearguard.

12. Markus Niemelainen, D - 73-4-14-18 (AHL), 3-0-0-0 (NHL)
The Finnish D was picked up from Arizona for Aleksi Heponiemi and is ready for prime time. The only thing stopping him is the Avs' glut of defencemen. They plan to deal one or two vets this summer which may make room for him on the roster.

13. Brandon Coe, RW - N/A (junior)
Traded and then re-acquired by the Avs, Coe is a hard hitter taken in the third round of last year's draft. He's likely to spend another year in junior.

14. Jesse Ylonen, RW - 70-55-37-92 (AHL), 11-1-4-5 (NHL)
Ylonen led the Eagles in scoring with dazzling numbers, but his lack of defensive improvement drops him significantly in the ranking. He needs to get serious about his own end of the ice to gain the GM's favour.

15. Simon Stransky, LW - 40-27-18-45 (AHL), 30-2-4-6 (NHL)
Stransky has also dropped down the list. He had another strong year in the AHL but contributed almost nothing in 30 games with the big club, struggling to take his development to the next level. If he's to make next year's team, he'll have to earn it.

16. Simon Holmstrom, LW - N/A (junior)
Holmstrom will join the Eagles next season. The two-way offensive winger projects as a middle six type.

17. Dmitri Semykin, D - 70-2-10-12 (AHL)
Acquired for Steve Mason, the former third-round pick got acclimated to the pro game this season. He shows promise defensively but has some work to do yet.

18. Thimo Nickl, D - N/A (junior)
A slightly above average defender with decent offensive ability, he was acquired from Tampa in the process of 3-4 deals that were all merged into one.

19. Andrei Altybarmakyan, LW - 63-29-13-42 (AHL), 14-3-2-5 (NHL
The Russian gobbledegook man started the year barely getting into the Eagles' lineup, but worked his way up as a goal-scorer, to the point he got a significant look at the NHL level and is a candidate to make the team next season.

20. Filip Larsson, G - 5-4-2-1, 3.03, .860 (NHL), 6-10, 3.75, .868 (AHL)
Has all the talent to be a starter but one of the least consistent goalies currently walking the earth. Avs are hoping for a significant con boost.

21. Antoine Morand, C - 82-22-65-87 (AHL)
The skilled playmaker took advantage of increased opportunities created by callups and trades, and became a key cog in the top six. He has the skill to be a top 9 guy but pays little attention to defence.

22. Tuukka Tieksola, LW - N/A (junior)
Tieksola is a smiilar player to Altybarmakyan and Morand. He's expected to crack the Eagles' lineup next year.

23. Yegor Sokolov, RW - 72-11-11-22 (AHL)
The defensive-minded winger started the year struggling to get into the lineup but soon grabbed a permanent spot on the third line. He needs another year in the AHL.

24. Nikita Alexandrov, C - N/A (junior)
The former fourth-round pick came over from Ottawa and should crack the AHL next year. His potential is limited but he has a chance to be an NHLer.

25. Jake Ratzlaff, D - N/A (junior)
A fifth-rounder, Ratzlaff was selected for his stay-at-home defence and doesn't pay much attention to the other two zones. He projects as a 6/7 depth D.

26. Cross Hanas, LW - N/A (junior)
Picked up from Detroit for Nathan Bastian, Hanas is a fringe prospect but might have a shot. He'll likely spend another year in junior.

27. Lucas Elvenes, RW - 54-5-11-16 (AHL)
The rookie pro was a constant healthy scratch in the early stages of the season, but trades and callups opened room and he made the most of it, even seeing some time on the second line. He's an average offensive player who isn't a liability on defence but probably doesn't make a good team's roster.

28. Dmitri Ovchinnikov, LW - N/A (junior)
A former auto-pick, Ovchinnikov does have some pro-level skills but is in a similar boat as Elvenes, though a little better defensively and with less pop up front.

29. Lenni Killinen, RW - 63-22-17-39 (AHL)
Killinen is a strong AHL-level player but he doesn't have much upside. After an early injury, he put up enough offence to become a fixture on the third line.

30. Jakub Galvas, D - 17-1-4-5 (AHL)
The former fourth-rounder was a throw-in to the Mattias Backman trade with the Rangers and didn't see any action until after the trade. He doesn't have NHL potential and likely tops out as a second pair in the AHL.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche drop to 4th in draft lottery

It wasn’t surprising, but the Colorado Avalanche front office was still disappointed in the results of the EHEC Draft Lottery on Saturday.

After finishing dead last in 2020-21, the Avs dropped from the first overall pick to fourth.

There’s no consensus #1 this time so it’s a lot better than losing the pick in, say, Connor McDavid’s draft year. Still, it’s a minor setback in the Avs’ rebuild.

“This was to be expected with this system that gives an 80% chance of the last-place team losing first overall and a significant chance of dropping the maximum spots possible,” said GM Josh Lewis. “We hope the league will follow the NHL’s lead in changing the lottery system.”

The EHEC draft rankings have not come out yet so it’s too early to speculate on who Colorado might take at #4.

However, there are a number of defencemen near the top of the board and the Avs already have an extremely strong group of defence prospects. So will they look to grab a forward instead, maybe a Matthew Beniers or Dylan Guenther?

“We’re going to take the best player available at our pick. At this stage it’s all about adding as much talent to the system as possible.”

The GM wouldn’t comment on the possibility of moving up to regain the top pick from Detroit, but the Avs do have the depth of talent to make something happen. It’s also possible they decide to move down if they have no strong preference among a group of similar players. However, the GM has noted the need for quality over quantity at this point in the rebuild.

The LA Kings own the second overall pick and the Washington Capitals have the third.

Colorado also has the 26th overall pick, originally belonging to Ottawa, and their own pick at 31st to lead off the second round.

[AvalancheGM]

Colorado waves goodbye to Hoefflin

Following the conclusion of the EHEC playoffs with the Canadiens winning the Cup, the Colorado Avalanche announced a major trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning, involving six players and three draft picks.

The Avs traded star centre Mirko Hoefflin, defencemen Hugo Styf and Dmitry Yermoshenko and a fifth-round pick in 2022 to the Lightning for LA’s first-round pick in 2022, Colorado’s own fourth in 2021, right winger Justin Kirkland, defenceman David Fischer and prospect Thimo Nickl.

Hoefflin, 29, led the Avalanche in scoring the last two years and is the league’s all-time PIM leader with 1,964 over 737 games.

“We appreciate what Mirko did for us on the scoreboard, but we also believe his astonishing lack of discipline held us back. This is not a good team and we jumped at the opportunity to get a 1st for him,” said GM Josh Lewis.

Yermoshenko, 25, suited up in only 12 games for the AHL Colorado Eagles last season, while Styf was a fourth-round pick of the Sharks in 2020.

Kirkland, 24, joins his third team in the last year. He scored 18 goals and 49 points split between the Lightning and Florida Panthers. It’s not certain yet whether he will play a top six role for the Avs.

“He’s a nice playmaker who can play up and down the lineup due to his physical ability,” said the GM. “He may end up playing a big role for us or he could be trade bait.”

Fischer, 33, was included as a salary dump. The veteran stay-at-home rearguard has two years left on a contract paying him $1.9 million per season and odds are he will be buried in the AHL to give the Avs $800,000 in cap relief.

Nickl was the 60th overall pick in the 2020 EHEC Draft, selected by the Kings before a trade sent him to Tampa. The defenceman is expected to play another year in junior.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs make seven-player deal with Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche announced a seven-player trade with the San Jose Sharks this week.

The Avs sent young grinder Nate Schnarr and AHL defencemen Dennis Gilbert and Jordan Schmaltz to San Jose in exchange for veteran power forward Andrew Ladd and prospects Otto Somppi, Slava Demin and Trent Miner.

Ladd, 35, was quickly flipped to the Winnipeg Jets in another deal.

The 21-year-old Schnarr, acquired from the Ottawa Senators before the trade deadline, shows promise as a checking forward. He had seven goals and 16 points in 57 games split between the Senators and Avalanche in 2020-21.

"We do have a bit of a roster crunch though and we have Nolan Foote who's a similar player," said GM Josh Lewis. "We're happy with the haul of prospects in return."

Somppi, a 23-year-old forward, scored 37 goals and 64 points in the AHL this year and has had even more productive years in the past. He has plenty of offensive potential but his lack of defensive prowess will likely pigeonhole him as a top six or nothing type of forward. He was selected in the third round of the 2016 draft, 73rd overall.

Demin, a 20-year-old defenceman, is coming off his first year in the AHL with four goals and 12 points. He was a fifth-round selection, 126th overall, in the 2018 EHEC Draft. He'll never be confused for an offensive defender but already has the defensive tools to play at the NHL level. The Avs organization has quite a logjam of young defencemen at the moment so it's likely he will spend another year in the minors.

Miner, 20, is a goalie drafted 142nd overall in 2019 by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Consistency is a major weakness of his game and Colorado hopes a change of scenery will help.

Meanwhile Gilbert, 24, can play defence and left wing. He was acquired from Tampa midway through the 2019-20 season but has been a disappointment with the Eagles, compiling only four points in 60 games this year.

Schmaltz, 27, was picked up from the Chicago Blackhawks in February in the Luke Ripley trade. He had eight assists in 39 NHL games with the Hawks this year, but was demoted to the Eagles after the trade, where he posted 11 points in 40 games.

[AvalancheGM]

Nolan Patrick finds new home in Denver

Editor's note: We apologize for the time it took to bring this news to you. We thought we had already posted it before starting our summer boozing.

Among the trades announced by the Colorado Avalanche after the EHEC playoffs ended was a whopper with the Winnipeg Jets that brings star centre Nolan Patrick to Denver.

The Avs parted with their first-round picks in 2024 and 2025, as well as recently acquired forward Andrew Ladd, in exchange for Patrick, defence prospect Helge Grans, Winnipeg’s second-rounder this year and LA’s second in 2022.

Patrick, 22, has emerged as a well-rounded stud with no major weaknesses. He can score, move the puck, skate, hit, defend and win draws.

“In other words, he can play any way you want him to play,” said Avs GM Josh Lewis. “This is a bit of a gamble for us to move a couple of future first-round picks as a team that finished dead last this season, but Nolan immediately improves the calibre of our program. He’s a guy you build around. We’re also pretty happy with the futures we got in return.”

Grans, 19, was selected 39th overall in the 2020 EHEC Draft. He’s a highly regarded defence prospect but will spend another year in junior. Colorado’s prospect pool is deep, even more so after next month’s draft in which they have 11 picks, so the fight for the Avs’ two underage spots will be fierce.

The pick Colorado receives in this year’s draft will be 43rd overall.

Ladd was recently acquired from the San Jose Sharks in a salary dump deal that brought three prospects to the Avs organization, but they were able to flip him and his $10 million in remaining salary the next two years to Winnipeg.

[AvalancheGM]

Colorado moves up to 2nd overall in 2021 draft

The Colorado Avalanche were wronged in the 2021 EHEC draft lottery, dropping from first overall to fourth, but they have now moved back up.

The Avs flipped spots with the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, acquiring the second overall pick along with fourth-rounders in 2022 and 2024 in exchange for the fourth overall pick, defenceman Ryan Graves and LA's first-round pick in 2022.

The EHEC draft rankings have not been released yet but Colorado GM Josh Lewis said it was important to put the team in position to draft the most impactful player possible.

"We have a lot of late picks and C-type prospects. With the talent and depth of this league right now, we have to focus on core game-breakers. We should be able to get a franchise player at #2 and we don't have many of those," he said.

Graves, 26, was signed to a three-year deal in free agency last summer with an AAV of $1.05 million. He's one of the best hitters in the league, with 144 hits and 131 takeaways this past season in 58 games, which is the most NHL contests he's ever played in a season, averaging just under 14 minutes a game.

"Ryan's on a bargain contract and still has room to grow defensively, so he's a nice add for the Kings. But it's no secret we're loaded with young defencemen who need more playing time, and we still have several good blueliners on the trade market. There are four different guys who could run with this opportunity: James Greenway, Markus Niemelainen, Donovan Sebrango and Xavier Bernard," said the GM.

"The first-rounder next year is the one we got for Mirko "the game's been wasted if I don't take 8 minor penalties" Hoefflin, and it's likely not going to be in the top 20. We're also happy to squeeze a couple of future fourth-rounders out of this."

Will Colorado now try to get its first overall pick back from the Detroit Red Wings in another swap? The organization refused to comment on that.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs flip one Filip for another Filip

The Colorado Avalanche made a pre-draft trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday involving two players and three draft picks.

Colorado shipped out centre Filip Chlapik and the 65th overall pick in this year's draft for winger Filip Hallander, the 84th overall pick and a fifth-rounder in 2022.

Hallander, 21, is coming off a very strong rookie season in the AHL, where he racked up 41 goals and 65 points in 70 games. He was the Penguins' second-round pick in the 2018 draft and is under contract for two more years at an AAV of $1.2 million.

"He's a disciplined kid who can do pretty much everything reasonably well. He doesn't do anything at an elite level but has no major weaknesses. He'll slot in somewhere in our bottom six and has a bit of growth left in his defensive game," said Avs GM Josh Lewis.

Colorado still has the 2nd, 26th, 31st and 43rd overall picks, plus many more in the later rounds.

Chlapik, 24, was acquired from the Minnesota Wild about a year ago but failed to make an impact at the NHL level. He managed four goals and six points in 53 games, mostly spent on the fourth line. He did well in the AHL, scoring 16 points in *checks notes* one game? Go home stat pages, you're drunk.

"We had hoped Filip could develop into a top 9 offensive forward, and he got lots of opportunity here last season but just couldn't put it together. To be fair, we had many young guys meeting that description. It was time to flip him for somebody younger who could make more of a contribution."

The 2021 EHEC Draft begins on Saturday. The top rated players are forwards Matt Beniers, William Eklund and Fedor Svechkov, and defencemen Owen Power, Luke Hughes and Brandt Clarke.

[AvalancheGM]

DRAFT DAY UPDATES

The Avalanche have already made two deals on draft day and could be on the verge of a third.

Sources say at this hour, the Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings are in talks regarding a swap of the first and second overall picks, which would explain why the Wings have not made their pick yet an hour into the draft.

Meanwhile, the Avs have traded Simon Stransky to the St. Louis Blues to move up eight spots in the third round, going from 84th overall up to 76th.

The team has also moved up one spot in the first round in a deal with the Ottawa Senators. Colorado moves from 26th to 25th by shipping right winger Justin Kirkland in exchange for winger Riley Tufte and a 4th rounder in 2024.

[AvalancheGM]

COLORADO DRAFTS OWEN POWER FIRST OVERALL

The Colorado Avalanche have found the cornerstone their franchise will be built around.

The Avs made a last-minute deal with the Detroit Red Wings to swap the first and second overall picks and selected stud defenceman Owen Power from the University of Michigan.

Power projects as an elite two-way defenceman and is expected to join the AHL Colorado Eagles next year as an underager.

To move up in the draft, the Avs gave up defence prospect Thimo Nickl and their 43rd overall pick in the second round.

Power immediately becomes the team's top prospect ahead of Noel Gunler.

Colorado still has picks #25 and #31, then nothing until 76th overall.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs trade Hauf to Tampa Bay

The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning continue to be frequent trading partners, pulling the trigger on another deal on Sunday.

The Avs shipped 26-year-old defenceman Jared Hauf to the Lightning, along with two late fifth-round picks in this draft, in exchange for the 49th overall pick in the second round.

Hauf, signed as a free agent last summer, is defence-first, defence-second and defence-third. It's the only thing he does but he does it extremely well. He can throw devastating hits and rarely lets his man get away from him. It took him a while to break into the Avs' lineup last year but he had two assists in 48 games, with significant penalty kill duties.

"We had no plans to trade Jared. He can still get even better defensively," said Colorado GM Josh Lewis. "But we have many young defencemen chomping at the bit for their NHL opportunity, and a mid-second rounder is a good return on investment for someone we signed for free."

After selecting defenceman Owen Power first overall, the Avs now have the 25th, 31st, 49th, 76th, 91st, 107th, 141st and 142nd picks in this draft.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche select Olausson 22nd overall

As the 2021 EHEC Entry Draft continues, the Colorado Avalanche have made another move. The Avs moved up from 25th overall to 22nd by flipping the 49th and 76th picks to the Ottawa Senators for picks 67 and 92.

With the 22nd overall pick, the Avalanche selected Swedish winger Oskar Olausson. Ranked 19th, Olausson is a surefire future top six forward with some defensive responsibility as well. He owns a powerful shot with good hands, and takes care of his man defensively.

Consistency is a slight issue, but Olausson is a lock to eventually play at least the second line on either wing and becomes a top five prospect in the organization.

Colorado's next pick is at 31st, to lead off the second round, followed by picks 67, 91, 92, 107, 141 and 142.

[AvalancheGM]

Colorado drafts Bourgault 31st overall

The Colorado Avalanche continue to add high-level prospects at the 2021 EHEC Entry Draft.

With their third selection, to start off the second round, the Avs selected winger Xavier Bourgault of the Shawinigan Cataractes with the 31st pick.

Bourgault is an all-around offensive star in the making, with the ability to play on a first line. He's just average defensively, with very little physicality in his game, but he's not quite a liability in the defensive zone.

Like Colorado's previous pick, Oskar Olausson, consistency is a minor issue but the team has high hopes for Bourgault.

The Avs have greatly bolstered the top of their prospect list, now consisting of defenceman Owen Power and forwards Noel Gunler, Olausson and Bourgault, as well as a second tier that includes Jack Perbix, Jaromir Pytlik, Ryan O'Rourke, Calle Clang, Henry Thrun, Xavier Bernard and Nolan Foote.

Their next pick is not until 67th overall, early in the third round.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche gamble on Roulette

The Colorado Avalanche traded back into the second round, only to take a complete gamble with their selection.

The Avs shipped second and third-round picks in 2022 to the Ottawa Senators for the 51st overall pick and a fifth in 2022.

They used the pick on centre Conner Roulette, who has the potential on offence to be a top six forward but is extremely inconsistent, to the point he can be considered a boom or bust pick.

He can shoot, pass or handle the puck equally well and also has the potential to be very solid defensively. It's the lack of consistency that is the elephant in the room.

"We think once our development staff has a chance to work with him, he could be our third top-six forward selected in this draft," said GM Josh Lewis. "If he pans out he could be another Oskar Olausson and considering we took him in the first round, I think there's a good chance we'll be happy with this selection."

Word is the Avalanche were torn between Roulette and two other players with this pick, but took the player with the most upside. Their next selection is 67th overall.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche select Petrov 65th overall

The Colorado Avalanche continue to load up on skilled offensive forwards in the 2021 EHEC Draft.

The Avs used their 142nd overall pick to move up from 67 to 65, then drafted left winger Matvei Petrov.

His shot is his best asset, and he's got the talent to be a decent second liner. He somewhat pays attention to defence but will never be a penalty killer.

Petrov was ranked 68th.

"We're happy to get another forward on our wish list," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "After taking the best player in the draft in Owen Power, our next priority was to shore up the lack of firepower in our system. We have plenty of defensive prospects, to the point it's going to be tough to find all of them playing time in the AHL."

The Avs don't pick again till the fourth round, leading it off with the 91st and 92nd picks. They also have 107 and 141.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs pick Iorio, Knies to start fourth round

The Colorado Avalanche have added to their bounty of prospects at the 2021 EHEC Draft with two picks to start off the fourth round.

The Avs took defenceman Vincent Iorio 91st overall, then selected centre Matthew Knies with the next pick.

Iorio is defence-first, with excellent positioning and strong defensive coverage. He also has some moderate offensive ability, with decent hands.

Knies, meanwhile, projects as a well-rounded forward who is equally capable at both ends of the ice. His ceiling is probably a third liner.

"We're happy to keep finding NHL talent this deep in the draft," said GM Josh Lewis. "Both these guys definitely have an NHL future."

Colorado has now selected five forwards and two defencemen in this draft. They have two picks left, #107 and #141.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche take Hamrla with 107th pick

The Colorado Avalanche have taken their first goalie of the 2021 EHEC Draft, selecting Patrik Hamrla with their 107th overall pick in the fourth round.

Hamrla was one of only three goalies still available. He has the talent to be a low-end starter, but consistency is a bit of a concern.

"He probably tops out as a 1B type in a platoon, but certainly he's got the ability to be a decent backup," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "As the talent in the draft starts to thin out, we wanted to add a goalie prospect. Since Trent Miner didn't boost after the trade from the Sharks, Hamrla becomes our second-best goalie prospect after Calle Clang."

The Avalanche have built up a very strong prospect pool, but the one thing they haven't addressed is a future top-end starter. While Clang's high level of consistency and solid talent make him starter material, he isn't expected to be a top 10 goalie.

Colorado has one pick left in the draft, a fifth-rounder at 141st overall.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs make six-player deal with Hawks

The Colorado Avalanche have created some contract room by trading five AHL players to the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Avs sent centres Bo Horvat and Alexandre Fortin, defencemen Jakub Galvas and William Lagesson and goalie Matt Tompkins to Chicago along with fourth and fifth round picks in 2022.

In return Colorado receives 25-year-old winger Antti Kalapudas, who has never played a game in the AHL or NHL.

"We needed to clear at least a couple of contracts to sign all the prospects that will join our AHL team this year," said GM Josh Lewis. "This will be an issue the next couple years with so many kids in the system so we need to clear out the older scrubs."

Horvat, 26, put up 22 goals and 60 points with the AHL Colorado Eagles last season. Fortin, 24, got into only 20 games, managing four goals and seven points.

Galvas, 22, had a goal and five points in 17 AHL games, while Lagesson, 25, was signed late in the season and has yet to play an AHL game. Tompkins, 27, appeared in 27 games with a dreadful 4.26 ERA and .845 save percentage.

Kalapudas was a sixth-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2014.

It's believed the Avs are also looking to move Sebastian Collberg, Jan Kern, Luke Green and David Fischer.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs use last pick on Biggar

Barring any trades, the Colorado Avalanche have made their final selection of the 2021 EHEC Draft.

Their ninth prospect from the draft, taken 136th overall after trading up five spots, is defenceman Zach Biggar.

Defence is his bread and butter, with elite positioning and man-marking abilities, though he's a little soft on the physical side. Though offence will never be his calling card, he can start the breakout without much trouble by either moving the puck or skating it out of the zone himself. He projects as a sixth or seventh defenceman at the NHL level.

Sources say Biggar is from the same province as the Avs' GM, so there will surely be questions about whether he was the best player available.

Here's a recap of the Avs' draft picks:

1. Owen Power, D
22. Oskar Olausson, LW
31. Xavier Bourgault, LW
51. Conner Roulette, C
65. Matvei Petrov, RW
91. Vincent Iorio, D
92. Matthew Knies, C
107. Patrik Hamrla, G
141. Zach Biggar, D

[AvalancheGM]

With the draft over and teams re-signing their players in preparation for free agency, the Colorado Avalanche have made another trade.

The Avalanche dealt defencemen Alexei Bereglazov and Luke Green to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday in exchange for winger Evgeni Svechnikov.

The deal cuts the Avs down to seven NHL defencemen, including only three regulars from last season, but expands their forward group with an addition who could wind up anywhere from the second line to the press box depending on the team's needs.

Svechnikov, who will turn 25 early in the season, is coming off his best year in the NHL with 23 goals and 48 points for the Lightning. It was his third year in the league and by far his most productive. However, he took a ton of hits and made a hobby out of coughing up the puck.

"He's got the shot and the skill to hang in the top six, but he's not the sturdiest defensive player," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "How much we use him will depend on how young guys like Gunler, Raddysh and Altybarmakyan make out. But he's certainly going to get power play time."

Bereglazov, 27, is a stay-at-home defenceman whose second stint in Colorado lasted one season after he was acquired from the Kings last summer. He posted two goals and 10 points in 60 games this season, but saw a lot of the press box late in the season as the Avs brought up prospect James Greenway for extended action.

"Alexei was really solid for us. He did his job with 142 hits and 133 takeaways. But we need to start making room for all these young defencemen in the system. We've got four kids on the back end this upcoming season and probably two or three more will be ready the year after."

Green was included because his $1.05 million salary will count $250,000 against the cap once he turns 24, since only $800,000 of a contract can be buried in the AHL. The inclusion of his contract makes the trade almost salary-neutral.

He posted two goals and 13 points in 31 games last season with the AHL's Colorado Eagles.

The Avalanche are not expected to be major players in free agency like they were last year, as they already have a tentative 23-man roster leaving them with a little over $1 million in cap space, as well as a commitment to developing half a dozen youngsters.

Colorado will likely sign a couple of AHLers with promise. At the NHL level, if anything, they could target a depth forward. At the moment the 14th spot looks to be up for grabs between Andrei Altybarmakyan and Jack Perbix. It's possible both end up back in the AHL.

[AvalancheGM]

The Colorado Avalanche cleared more space on their AHL roster last week to ensure there is room for the prospects they plan to promote to the Eagles, which may reach double digits.

The Avs sent forwards Sebastien Collberg and Jan Kern to the Ottawa Senators along with the Sens' own fourth-round pick in 2024 in exchange for forward prospect Blake McLaughlin. This leaves the Eagles' roster with 13 roster players until entry-level contracts are signed.

Collberg, 27, was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in February. He was a solid contender for the AHL Cy Young award last season with 55 goals and 24 assists. He has 259 games of NHL experience, mostly in the early 2010s.

Kern, 22, was signed to an ELC in March and assigned to the AHL but did not play any games. He was a third-round pick in 2017 but does not have NHL upside.

McLaughlin, 21, was a third-round pick of the Senators in 2018 who has yet to play at the pro level. He has some fringe potential as a fourth liner or AHL call-up but is likely not in the Avs' plans. It's unclear if he will be signed to play for the Eagles this year.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche sign 3 players in free agency

The Colorado Avalanche have not been nearly as active in the free agent market as they were last year, but they have signed three new players and brought one from last year back into the fold.

Inking deals with Colorado were forwards Linus Karlsson and Isaac Ratcliffe, and defencemen Johnathan MacLeod and Ville Niemelainen, the latter being brought back on a cheaper deal than if he had gotten a qualifying offer.

Karlsson, 21, is a two-way right winger who will battle for a spot on the NHL roster. He signed a two-year deal with an $800,000 AAV after posting six goals and 10 points in 77 games with the Minnesota Wild last season.

"He's a useful player to have around because he's well-rounded enough to be able to play wherever you put him in the lineup," said GM Josh Lewis. "If he winds up in the AHL, he won't count against the cap and will be among the first call-ups."

Ratcliffe is a career AHLer unless he miraculously gets a pot boost at the age of 22. He posted 14 goals and 21 points in the AHL last year in Washington's system. He also signed for two years at $800,000.

"We wanted to add at least one young AHL forward and he's a solid competitor at that level," the GM said.

It's not clear where MacLeod, 25, will fit into the picture. He played his first full season in the NHL last year, with 10 points in 77 games for the Ottawa Senators. However, the Avs have a glut of defencemen they are committed to developing at both the NHL and AHL levels. So wherever he winds up, he's likely to see a lot of the press box. He signed a two-year deal worth $850,000 a season, so if he's in the AHL he'll count $50,000 against the cap.

"Since we cleared a lot of contract room before free agency started, we decided it would be good to have another solid physical defender around just in case. Since David Fischer is over 30 and being buried in the AHL this year (hey Dave, did you get that text I sent you?) we don't want him to vopatize and ruin any potential future trade value, so we now have enough guys in front of him to ensure that."

Niemelainen is back on a cheaper deal and is expected to be one of four defence prospects on the Avalanche blueline this season. But it seems clear the priority for Colorado is developing James Greenway, Xavier Bernard and Donovan Sebrango so he may be healthy scratched a lot.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche 2021 Draft Review

Readers who follow this space will already have seen brief profiles for all of Colorado's 2021 draft picks, but since leadership points are on the line, here's a proper review.

1. Owen Power, D
The Avalanche gave up a lot in two separate trades to move from fourth overall to first, but Power is worth it. He will be an elite two-way defenceman in the EHEC within two years. Power, who has already signed an entry-level deal worth $3 million a year, will be a fixture on the AHL Colorado Eagles' blueline this season. He'll start on the second pairing until he gets used to pro competition, but will likely move up to the top pair by mid-season. He might even get a crack at the NHL by the end of the year.

He has no real weaknesses aside from perhaps dropping the mitts - players.ehm shows a ceiling of 1. Not 100, one (1). But his biggest strengths are his shot and defensive positioning. He's drawn comparisons to current Avs #1 defenceman Dmitry Kulikov, who is 12 years his elder.

22. Oskar Olausson, LW
Ranked 19th, the Swedish winger is a surefire future top six forward with some defensive responsibility as well. He owns a powerful shot with good hands, and takes care of his man defensively. Consistency is a slight issue, but Olausson is a lock to eventually play at least the second line on either wing and becomes a top five prospect in the organization.

31. Xavier Bourgault, LW
Bourgault is an all-around offensive star in the making, with the ability to play on a first line. He's just average defensively, with very little physicality in his game, but he's not quite a liability in the defensive zone. Like Olausson, consistency is a minor issue but the team has high hopes for Bourgault.

51. Conner Roulette, C
This guy was a gamble. Roulette has the potential on offence to be a top six forward but is extremely inconsistent, to the point he can be considered a boom or bust pick. He can shoot, pass or handle the puck equally well and also has the potential to be very solid defensively. It's the lack of consistency that is the elephant in the room. The Avs are confident their development staff can help him emerge as a top six forward.

65. Matvei Petrov, LW
Ranked 68th, his shot is his best asset and he's got the talent to be a decent second liner. Petrov somewhat pays attention to defence but will never be a penalty killer. He's a project, probably at least three years off, but the potential is there.

91. Vincent Iorio, D
Iorio is defence-first, with excellent positioning and strong defensive coverage. He also has some moderate offensive ability, with decent hands. He projects as a strong #4 defenceman.

92. Matthew Knies, C
Knies' future in the EHEC is a well-rounded forward who is equally capable at both ends of the ice. His ceiling is probably a third liner but he's the type who can fit in with any line.

107. Patrik Hamrla, G
Hamrla was one of only three goalies still available. He has the talent to be a low-end starter, with average consistency. After the selection, the GM said he could ultimately be the 1B in a goalie platoon but should at least be a decent backup. He becomes their #2 prospect in net after 2020 2nd round pick Calle Clang.

141. Zach Biggar, D
Defence is Biggar's bread and butter, with elite positioning and man-marking abilities, though he's a little soft on the physical side. Though offence will never be his calling card, he can start the breakout without much trouble by either moving the puck or skating it out of the zone himself. He projects as a sixth or seventh defenceman at the NHL level.

[AvalancheGM]

Colorado Avalanche 2021-22 training camp preview

It has been a summer of change for the Colorado Avalanche, but unlike a year ago, the organization acknowledges this will be another year of rebuilding.

While the Avs added a bumper crop of nine new prospects in the draft, many trades and free agent signings took place and the team plans to promote a number of prospects to the NHL. With training camp underway, here's a look at roster spot battles as well as players who are locks.

FORWARDS

Locks to make the team:
Janne Kuokkanen
Nolan Patrick
Mitch Marner
Kailer Yamamoto
Ivan Barbashev
Tyler Biggs
Noel Gunler
Nolan Foote
Brayden Point

The top six will include Kuokkanen, Patrick, Marner, Yamamoto and Barbashev for sure. It appears Gunler has the inside track on the sixth spot, though competition will come from newcomers Evgeni Svechnikov, Nikita Scherbak and perhaps even Linus Karlsson. There are plenty of potential line combinations here. The club might try a line of Barbashev, Patrick and Yamamoto if they put any stock in click numbers.

On the third line, Foote and Biggs are locks. Biggs is by far the best defensive forward on the team and Foote is a key prospect, acquired in last year's Dion Phaneuf trade. Point is also a youngish player the Avs have high hopes for, though he's likely to be either the fourth-line centre like he was last year, or the third-line right winger.

Fighting for jobs:
Taylor Raddysh
Evgeni Svechnikov
Filip Hallander
Linus Karlsson
Nikita Scherbak
Ostap Safin
Andrei Altybarmakyan
Jack Perbix
Juho Lammikko

Svechnikov and Scherbak are relegated to this list not because of their skill level, but their age. The Avalanche are committed to giving promising young players the ice time they need to improve. Those two are likely to start on the fourth line or in the press box, but could jump straight to the top six when injuries strike.

Hallander and Karlsson are solid two-way guys but are also likely to find themselves outside the top nine most of the time. Raddysh, acquired in the Zack Kassian trade last year, is currently one of the least impressive players on the team but has massive potential to be a scoring superstar. Because of that, he's almost certainly going to get a third-line spot on the wing.

Safin was recently acquired and probably has a future as a solid bottom sixer, but there's a good chance he'll start in the AHL. Altybarmakyan and Perbix looked to have an inside track on a roster spot early in the off-season, but recent acquisitions have pushed them down the depth chart.

The Avs do have the option of burying Scherbak's hefty contract in the AHL to bring up one of those three, but they're not tight enough to the cap to justify a move like that. There's also Lammikko, acquired in a contract dump trade with Dallas. He's decent enough to be trade bait at the deadline but doesn't figure in the NHL plans this year.

DEFENCEMEN

Locks:
Dmitry Kulikov
Duncan Siemens
Damir Galin

As the only vets left from last year's blueline, these three are already penciled in. Galin may see the odd game in the press box as part of a rotation to get the young guys in, but he'll be in the top four the vast majority of the time.

Fighting for spots:
James Greenway
Xavier Bernard
Donovan Sebrango
Ville Niemelainen
Jonathan MacLeod
Luca Sbisa
David Fischer
Ladislav Smid

Greenway, Bernard and Sebrango are just outside lock territory. Niemelainen is expected to be the #7 guy. Once again, the guys who are currently better (MacLeod, Sbisa, Fischer and Smid) are on the outside looking in. It's possible MacLeod will nab the #7 spot from Niemelainen.

GOALIES
Alex Nedeljkovic
Filip Larsson

There are no doubts about these two spots after Juuse Saros walked as a free agent. The AHL goalies this year will be Mason MacDonald, who's got NHL-calibre consistency but not the talent, and raw prospect Trent Miner, who lacks the consistency. Colorado's current goalie of the future, Calle Clang, will spend another year in junior.

[AvalancheGM]

The Colorado Avalanche used the pre-season as a chance to get their many prospects some NHL action, sprinkling in more regulars as the schedule progressed.

We now have a good idea of what the lineup will look like in the Avs' opener on October 4. The big question is who will occupy the fourth-line wing spots on either side of Brayden Point. It will be two of Evgeni Svechnikov, Linus Karlsson, Filip Hallander and Nikita Scherbak.

Here's our best guess:

Barbashev-Patrick-Marner
Gunler-Kuokkanen-Yamamoto
Foote-Biggs-Raddysh
Svechnikov-Point-Karlsson

Siemens-Kulikov
Sebrango-Galin
Bernard-Greenway

Nedeljkovic
Larsson

Player spotlight: Donovan Sebrango was a standout in the preseason, from beginning to end. He was projected to play on the third pair with Xavier Bernard, but he's earned a promotion to the top four. The Avs hoped for a big camp from James Greenway but he was shown up by Sebrango, who is still just 19 years old.

Greenway has long been the subject of high hopes as a shutdown defender, but clearly some mistakes were made in his development. He played full seasons in the NHL before he was ready, long before the current GM took over. Now, trying to squeeze that potential out of him at 23 is proving to be a challenge. He could find himself as trade bait depending on how the first few weeks of the season go.

The same may be true for Taylor Raddysh up front. He has a lot of work to do to reach his game-breaking potential, and while he was decent in camp he didn't realize much growth.

There are a few guys pushing for callups as well: Jack Perbix, Ostap Safin, Otto Somppi, Andrei Altybarmakyan, Slava Demin and Dimitri Semykin.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche acquire Konovalov from Canucks

It turns out the Colorado Avalanche goaltending system was not as set in stone as observers thought.

The Avalanche have picked up Ilya Konovalov from the Vancouver Canucks for farm winger Lucas Elvenes and a third-round pick in 2023.

Konovalov, 23, made his NHL debut last year and started 54 games for Vancouver, with a 3.07 GAA and .880 SP along with two shutouts.

Although he struggles with consistency, he's far more reliable in that department than Filip Larsson, who was scheduled to be the Avs' backup this year.

"Konovalov is a little more polished than Larsson and could see upwards of 30 starts this season," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "Who knows, depending on how he does this year, he could be a future starter here."

Larsson is expected to be assigned to the AHL Colorado Eagles, where he will split starts with Mason McDonald and Trent Miner.

Elvenes, 22, spent his first pro season with the Eagles last year. He posted five goals and 16 points in 54 games. Elvenes was a fourth-round pick of the Avs in 2017 and has some fringe potential as a possible fourth-liner.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs acquire Morozov, pick for Hallander

The Colorado Avalanche traded Filip Hallander to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday for Ivan Morozov and a third-round pick in 2023.

Hallander, 21, had been acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the off-season. The winger scored 41 goals and 65 points in 70 AHL games last season. He does many things well but nothing at an elite level, and was expected to see time on the Avs' fourth line this season. He was a second-round pick of the Penguins in 2018.

Morozov, also 21, is a similar player but can play in the middle. He made his EHEC debut with the Canucks last year, posting two goals and an assist in 13 games. He had a huge year in the AHL, with 53 goals and 110 points in just 69 games.

It's not clear yet how Morozov will fit into the Avs' plans. He makes $350,000 more than Hallander with three years remaining on his contract.

"He could end up on our fourth line, in the press box or in the AHL," said GM Josh Lewis. "He's a useful player who can plug into various lines, similar to Hallander. In truth, getting the pick without much of a trade-off in talent was the motivator for us in this deal."

With the regular season beginning Thursday night, the Avs coaching staff has only one decision left to make - who will flank Brayden Point on the fourth line. It's likely to be Evgeni Svechnikov on the left side, with one of Morozov, Linus Karlsson or Nikita Scherbak on the right side.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs, Flames swing minor deal

The Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames completed a three-player minor league deal on Friday.

Colorado shipped out goalie Mason McDonald in exchange for forward Joey Hishon, defenceman Stanislav Gareev and a fifth-round pick in 2022.

For the Avs, the deal adds a pick in exchange for taking on an extra contract. However, word came on Monday that Colorado intends to buy out Hishon and Gareev's contracts, which are both for one year. That brings them down to 48 contracts.

McDonald, 25, was signed as a free agent by the Avalanche in the summer of 2020. He appeared in 14 AHL games last season. The Colorado Eagles now have Filip Larsson and Trent Miner as their goalies.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche off to a middling start

The Colorado Avalanche's start to the 2021-22 EHEC season can best be described as tepid. They're setting a better pace than they finished last year, but are below the .500 mark.

The Avs are 4-5-2 through their first 11 games, which puts them 12th in the West in points percentage, and 19th in the league. It's far too early to arrive at any conclusions but that's much better than their last-place finish in 2020-21. It appears it's going to be much harder to make the playoffs in the West than the East, but that isn't Colorado's focus this year.

The team scoring lead is shared by Kailer Yamamoto and Ivan Barbashev, each with four goals and nine points on the young season. But the biggest surprise so far has to be the play of Taylor Raddysh, who has enormous offensive potential but is pretty raw at the NHL level. Raddysh has posted three goals and seven points through 11 games, playing on the third line alongside Brayden Point. He's also seeing second-unit PP time.

Nolan Patrick, the splash acquisition of the off-season, also has seven points to date while Point and second-year pro Noel Gunler have six apiece.

A handful of players have had a disappointing start, and none worse than Janne Kuokkanen. He is among the best all-around players on the team and plays in all situations, but has managed just two points so far. The Avs absolutely need more from the 23-year-old stud forward.

Mitch Marner has been lukewarm with five points so far, and Evgeni Svechnikov has managed two goals in eight games.

The roster includes a number of rookies, especially on the blueline. Xavier Bernard has been the most impressive of these in the early going. Only 21, the stay-at-home rearguard has found a home on the second pairing with Damir Galin. He has adjusted to the speed and skill of NHL forwards quickly.

Donovan Sebrango has looked quite good as well, despite losing his top four spot to Bernard. James Greenway and Markus Niemelainen have shared the #6 spot.

Up front, Gunler is off and running in his first full NHL season and Ostap Safin has done a nice job on the fourth line since being called up early in the season. In seven games the 22-year-old has thrown 16 hits and has 16 takeaways. He was acquired from St. Louis during pre-season for Jesse Ylonen.

In net, Alex Nedeljkovic and Ilya Konovalov have split the games almost evenly and that's likely to continue. Nedeljkovic has had the edge in performance in his five games.

On the farm, the AHL Eagles are at .500 through 11 games. Jack Perbix just missed the cut in camp and has responded with a flying start, posting 17 points to sit 11th in league scoring. If he keeps this up he may force the Avs' hand. Linus Karlsson is waiver-exempt and hasn't dressed much for the NHL club.

Andrei Altybarmakyan, Antoine Morand, Ivan Morozov and Otto Somppi are also at a point a game or better. Future #1 defenceman Owen Power has acquitted himself well with a goal and five points, along with six hits.

The Eagles are icing a very raw bottom six with several prospects getting their first taste of pro action and struggling on the scoresheet, but that will change in time.

In net, Filip Larsson has seen a little more action than Trent Miner so far. Goaltending could be the Eagles' achilles heel with this pair, whose combined con is still significantly less than ideal for one goalie.

[AvalancheGM]

Perbix recalled to Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have called up Jack Perbix, one of their top prospects and certainly the most NHL-ready.

The 21-year-old centre has dominated early in the AHL season with 17 points through 11 games. The free agent signing of Linus Karlsson ended his chances of making the Avs out of camp, but Karlsson has suited up for only two games so far and has been demoted to get more playing time.

Perbix was not recalled to sit in the press box, so that's not good news for the likes of Evgeni Svechnikov, Nikita Scherbak and to a lesser extent Ostap Safin, who have been rotating in and out of the lineup.

Safin plays a solid checking role on the fourth line so he's not likely to miss many games. Svechnikov and Scherbak are certainly talented top nine forwards; they simply don't fit into Colorado's development plans. Word is both have been made available on the trade market for teams needing an infusion of offence.

Perbix, who was called up for seven games late last year, will make his season debut Thursday against Vancouver. He's expected to line up beside Brayden Point and Taylor Raddysh.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs ship Nedeljkovic to Sharks

The Colorado Avalanche dealt goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday in a deal involving three players and two draft picks.

Colorado also sent a fourth-rounder in 2023. In exchange they got young goalie Carter Hart, defence prospect Shai "Bum Buddy" Buium and a third in 2022.

Nedeljkovic was acquired from Dallas at last year's trade deadline in the megadeal that shipped out Zack Kassian. In six games this year he's posted a 3-2-1 record with a 3.13 GAA and .895 save percentage. His final start in an Avs uniform was a masterclass against the Vancouver Canucks where he stopped 37 of 40 shots.

The Avalanche retained half of his $2.5 million salary, a contract that's in its final year.

In Hart, Colorado gets a 23-year-old tender who is a slight downgrade on Ned but is a strong 1B option. He's also in the last year of his $1.2 million contract but will be an RFA at the end of the season.

He has struggled greatly in the early going with the Sharks, but both their goalies have. Last year with Vancouver he played 30 games with a 3.18 GAA and .871 SP. He's already in his fifth EHEC season.

"Carter is a young but experienced goalie with talent and consistency. As we continue to rebuild, we haven't made any decisions about our long-term goaltending. His future here rests on his own performances this season. He will split games with Ilya Konovalov, who's in the same boat," said GM Josh Lewis.

Buium, 18, was the Sharks' third-round pick, 82nd overall, in this year's draft. Aside from his unfortunate name, he has a future in the EHEC as a third-pair guy, at least. His age ensures he'll spend another year or two in junior, while the many D prospects with the Colorado Eagles continue to develop.

Elsewhere on the trade market, sources say there is interest in Evgeni Svechnikov, who has been in and out of the lineup but is a bonafide second-line scorer.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche trade Svechnikov for a plickspect

As first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning swung a three-player deal on Friday that also includes a draft pick.

The term 'plickspect' was first coined by Down Goes Brown to describe a player, a pick and a prospect. That was the return Colorado got in exchange for winger Evgeni Svechnikov.

The Lightning gave up aging forward Mike Cammalleri, winger prospect Kasper Simontaival and a fourth-round pick in 2023.

Svechnikov, 25, was in fact acquired from Tampa Bay in the off-season but has been caught in a roster crunch with the rebuilding Avs. He has two goals in eight games this year, spending time on the second, third and fourth lines as well as in the press box.

The Avs retained 50% of his $1.85 million contract, which is in its last year.

Cammalleri, 39, was struggling with the Bolts, also posting two goals in 11 games. He's not expected to see much time with the Avs and will likely head straight to the trade block.

Simontaival, 19, was a third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2020 and later traded to Tampa. He projects as a skilled offensive forward and is decent defensively, but due to his 5'9" frame he does not know what hitting means, which could hold him back.

"We're happy to get a pick and prospect by retaining money we could afford to retain, without weakening the roster," said GM Josh Lewis.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs lose Cammalleri on waivers

Days after a Mike Cammalleri trade with the Winnipeg Jets fell through, it appears the Jets have claimed him off waivers from Colorado.

Two of the top three teams in the league, the Jets and Dallas Stars, both put in a claim but with Winnipeg two points back it appears Winnipeg will get him.

The two teams had a deal worked out that would send Cammalleri to Winnipeg, with some money retained, for a third-round pick this year and AHL winger Matia Marcantuoni.

However, the Avs had already used their two retention spots on Alex Nedeljkovic and Evgeni Svechnikov and Winnipeg balked at taking him at full price.

They have now claimed him at full price, but without giving up any assets.

Colorado is loaded with futures and won't miss a third-round pick, but it was a missed opportunity.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs, Rags make minor-league swap

Two forwards found new homes in a minor-league deal between the Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers last week.

Colorado dealt winger Andrei Altybarmakyan, who was one of the last cuts in training camp this year, in exchange for centre Radel Fazleyev.

Altybarmakyan, 23, is a second-year pro who has produced at the AHL level and got an NHL cup of coffee late last year. He posted three goals and five points in 14 games.

In his rookie AHL season meanwhile, he scored 29 goals and 42 points in 63 games. He's upped his production this year with 17 goals and 23 points in his first 22 contests.

"He can play at the NHL level, but his upside is limited," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "The truth is once our prospects and youngsters are ready for prime time, he wouldn't come close to making the roster."

In Fazleyev, the Avalanche get a 25-year-old proven AHL goal-scorer, who also could be a fringe NHLer but likely won't get that chance with Colorado.

Fazleyev has 15 goals and 19 points through 23 games this season. Last year he set career highs of 45 goals and 59 points.

"These guys are both great Cy Young candidates," the GM said. "I mean, why pass the puck and be a team player when you can make that red light flash over and over?"

[AvalancheGM]

Raddysh turning heads in Denver

The Colorado Avalanche are mired in 12th place in the West as the season nears the midway point, but there has been one bright spot: the play of winger Taylor Raddysh.

Raddysh, 23, was acquired from the Dallas Stars in the Kassian mega-deal at last year's trade deadline. He has massive offensive potential but was rushed into the NHL far too early in the Minnesota Wild organization, so his development has been botched.

But the former first-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers is showing some promise this season, with good offensive production and some growth in his game. Raddysh has posted eight goals and 19 points in 34 games with the Avs, while skating on the third line alongside Brayden Point.

That's one point behind the team lead, which is shared by Nolan Patrick, Ivan Barbashev and Kailer Yamamoto.

"We're happy with the year Taylor is having. He has a long way to go to reach his ceiling, but progress is good. We hope it continues in the second half because he's about to turn 24 and we know development slows down around that age," said GM Josh Lewis.

With Janne Kuokkanen injured and expected to miss most of the rest of the season, Raddysh could get an opportunity in the top six beside Yamamoto and sophomore winger Noel Gunler.

With top line right winger Mitch Marner struggling, posting only 15 points to date, Raddysh might even get a shot in his place if he keeps up his hot play.

Meanwhile, Ilya Konovalov has taken over the Avs' starting job in net. Considering he was acquired on the eve of the regular season to back up the since-traded Alex Nedeljkovic, that's not what anyone expected. But newcomer Carter Hart has struggled and Konovalov has been solid on most nights, posting an .883 SP and 3.35 GAA in 22 appearances.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs call up Demin

When James Greenway decided to go all Bertuzzi on Erik Johnson during last night's 5-4 overtime loss to the Red Wings, it opened an opportunity for someone else.

Greenway's eight-game suspension left the Avalanche with a 21-man roster (following the major injury to Janne Kuokkanen), and they have a plethora of defence prospects itching to get their first shot at the NHL.

Slava Demin is the lucky man receiving the call-up and will make his debut Saturday against the Oilers. The 21-year-old, acquired from San Jose in the off-season, is fully NHL-ready on the defensive side. He has little offensive skill to speak of but has anchored the Eagles' top pair this season.

Plucked by the Sharks in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, Demin has posted a goal and 10 points this season while averaging 30 minutes a night and throwing 54 hits.

"We had a bunch of guys to choose from, including the rapidly improving Owen Power, but Slava is the most ready," said GM Josh Lewis. "While Owen will almost certainly get a call-up before the season is done, we'd like to see more progress in his playmaking and hitting first. Daniil Misyul and Dmitri Semykin were also strong candidates for this recall, and with Greenway out eight games one of them may get a shot."

Greenway had been dressing as a left winger recently, with Nolan Foote seeing some time in the press box. But Colorado has far more NHL-close defencemen than forwards.

[AvalancheGM]

Misyul follows Demin to the bigs

With James Greenway suspended for six more games, and Colorado's rookie NHL defencemen being pretty much fully developed, the Avs have recalled another D prospect from the AHL.

Daniil Misyul, 21, was recalled and will suit up alongside Slava Demin on the Avs' third pairing for now.

In a corresponding move, Markus Niemelainen was waived and sent to the AHL to avoid having 30+ defencemen Ladislav Smid or David Fischer play games and vopatize.

Misyul, acquired in the Zack Kassian megadeal with Dallas last year, has a goal and three points in 31 AHL games this season as a rookie pro. He's mostly played on the second pair while improving his game, particularly on defence.

Like Demin, don't expect much offence from Misyul at this early stage of his career, though that may come later.

Niemelainen, 23, has one assist in 14 games this year. He's been Colorado's seventh defenceman but they have rotated their bottom three spots on a regular basis.

Although the waiver period is not over, rumour is the Dallas Stars have submitted a claim for Niemelainen. Should that go through, it would open up a roster spot for Demin or Misyul to stay permanently. To keep them in the lineup, there would be several options - continue to use Greenway at LW when he returns from suspension, or rotate Donovan Sebrango and Xavier Bernard through the press box, or both.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche trade Scherbak for Kolesar

The Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers agreed to a forward swap on Thursday. The two-player deal sees Colorado send winger Nikita Scherbak to Manhattan in exchange for winger Keegan Kolesar.

Scherbak, 26, is on the last year of a deal paying him $3.16 million, while Kolesar, 24, is signed for next season at $2.05 million.

Kolesar, an effective physical player who can also contribute offensively, has scored five goals and seven points in 20 games with the Rangers this year. He's also posted 34 PIMs and 25 hits.

"We're taking on a contract for next year when we could have let Scherbak walk, but we think Keegan can contribute here and maybe figure into the plans long-term. He's a pretty well-rounded player and if we can work on his positioning, he could become a solid two-way third liner for us," said GM Josh Lewis.

The problem will be getting him into the lineup enough to improve his game. The Avs called up Juho Lammikko last month and he's been in the lineup ever since, because he has some potential as a defensive forward. They have also been playing James Greenway at left wing to open up playing time on the back end, which meant Nolan Foote was sitting in the press box because he's more or less fully developed.

Then again, if Colorado manages to trade Tyler Biggs before the deadline it could open up enough room for all those guys to get the playing time they need.

Scherbak, acquired from Dallas in the pre-season, has spent most of the year in the press box for the same reason - because the Avs are prioritizing players with untapped upside. In 11 games, he had two goals and two assists.

[AvalancheGM]

Holmstrom recalled after Biggs suspension

The Colorado Avalanche continue to take a look at some of their AHL talent, calling up winger Simon Holmstrom on Thursday after a four-game suspension to Tyler Biggs.

Holmstrom, 20, was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in early 2020 (before all this COVID nonsense) for Adam Lowry. He was the Sharks' third-round pick, 90th overall, in 2019.

In his first pro season, it took him some time to adjust to the AHL but he has been hot lately, earning a promotion to the second line. He's posted 18 points through 43 games, including 14 goals.

"Most of our AHL forwards are either fully-developed tweeners, no longer considered prospects or still learning the pro game, so Simon got the call-up. He's been playing very well lately and he's earned a brief look at the NHL level," said GM Josh Lewis.

Biggs got a four-game ban for injuring Detroit's Isac Lundestrom Wednesday night, though it's not clear if Holmstrom will stay up for that long with James Greenway one game away from the end of his suspension. Greenway had been playing at left wing recently and with the strong play of callups Daniil Misyul and Slava Demin, he may stay there.

[AvalancheGM]

Morozov chasing AHL scoring title

When Ivan Morozov was traded to Colorado on the eve of the 2021-22 regular season, he hoped to crack their NHL lineup. That didn't happen, but he's been tearing up the AHL all year long with the Colorado Eagles.

The 21-year-old centre topped 100 points in his first two years in the league but the story he's writing this season is something else. At the halfway mark he's averaging well over 2 points a game, with 32 goals and 93 points in 43 games.

Morozov currently leads the AHL in scoring, three points ahead of Bakersfield's Alexander Khokhlachev. He also leads in assists, by a wider margin, with 61. He's on pace for 177 points at the moment.

Drafted 44th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018, Morozov is one of those players who's too good for the AHL but not quite good enough to find a permanent home in the big league. He's solid defensively, though not good enough in that area to be an effective bottom sixer in the NHL.

The 6'1, 180-pound Russian has also thrown 115 hits this season, though his faceoff work needs some improvement with a 48% success rate.

His linemates have also reaped the benefits of playing with him. Antoine Morand, who led the Eagles in scoring last season with 87 points, now has 67 points through 45 games, putting him 14th in the league. That's a 122-point pace. Linus Karlsson, an off-season free agent signing who played two games with the Avs early on, has 45 points in 34 games, a 108-point pace.

Ironically enough, the line was just broken up, with Morand dropped to the second line in favour of younger prospect Simon Holmstrom. Holmstrom recently got his first taste of the NHL with one assist in two games. His 18 points in 43 games are a reflection of the time it took to adjust to the pro level, but he's now ready to put up bigger numbers and stake his case to possibly make next year's big club.

[AvalancheGM]

Owen Power recalled to NHL

The day has finally come.

The inevitable call-up fans have been waiting for ever since last year's EHEC draft, when Colorado selected Owen Power first overall, has arrived.

On Thursday, the Avalanche recalled Power to the NHL, and he is expected to stay there.

The 19-year-old defenceman has been honing his talents in the AHL in his first season of pro hockey, and now the Avs feel he's ready for prime time. In fact, it can be argued he's been NHL-ready for some time but the organization wanted him to work on a couple of areas before making the move.

Power has three goals and 16 points in 49 AHL games, starting on the second pair and eventually moving up to the top unit. He's also amassed 39 hits and a +28 rating while averaging nearly 24 minutes a night for the Eagles.

"There's no doubt Owen is a pillar of our rebuild and the sooner he gets up to speed at the NHL level, the sooner we take the next step in our evolution as a team," said GM Josh Lewis. "This is a good chance for him to get his feet wet in a no-pressure environment for the rest of this season, then become a top 4 guy right out of training camp next year."

To make room, 21-year-old prospect Slava Demin was sent back to the Eagles. He posted an assist in nine games since being called up about a month ago.

Colorado has 33 games remaining, and Power is expected to play in all of them barring injury. With James Greenway already in the press box, that means rookie Daniil Misyul - who has played quite well during his own callup - will be seeing a lot less ice. However, the Avs won't want to totally sideline him so there may be a few healthy scratches along the way for Donovan Sebrango and Xavier Bernard.

[AvalancheGM]

Barbashev out for season, Pytlik recalled

For the second time this season, a top six forward for the Avalanche has suffered a serious injury.

Left winger Ivan Barbashev will miss the rest of the season after being injured by Nashville's Mark Pysyk on Monday night. Barbashev was leading the club in scoring with 38 points in 57 games.

With Janne Kuokkanen on the shelf until late March, opportunities have opened up for some of the club's youth. Taylor Raddysh, in the midst of a career year, has been on the second line since Kuokkanen went down and sophomore Noel Gunler will take Barbashev's spot on the top line.

Gunler's development has stalled this year, so the hope is more ice time may kickstart the 2020 first-round pick. He has nine goals and 22 points in 57 games this season, mostly on the third line.

"Gunler is a top prospect, second only to Owen Power in the organization, so there is definitely some concern on our end," said GM Josh Lewis.

After the injury, 20-year-old centre Jaromir Pytlik was called up from the Colorado Eagles. He made his NHL debut Wednesday night against Calgary, logging three hits and four takeaways on a line with James Greenway and Jack Perbix.

Pytlik was a second-round pick of Detroit, 54th overall, in the 2020 EHEC Draft. He was acquired last season in the Jack Campbell trade. In his first season of pro hockey, he has three goals and 13 points in 56 games.

"Jaromir's offensive totals don't look like much, but that's not his job. He projects as a shutdown third-line centre for us," said the GM. "With Barbashev and Kuokkanen both out, it was a chance to spend the rest of the season developing one of our forward prospects. Pytlik and Simon Holmstrom were the only NHL-ready prospects on the farm, and Pytlik will fill a bigger need long-term."

Meanwhile, top prospect Owen Power was handed an eight-game suspension after an attempt to injure penalty in Sunday's game against Minnesota. It was only his sixth NHL game after being called up earlier this month. That has opened up an opportunity for rookie Daniil Misyul to get back in the lineup.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs flip McLaughlin for Balmas

The Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers teamed up for a minor league swap on Saturday.

The Avalanche acquired mediocre AHL winger Mitchell Balmas, entirely because he is a former Charlottetown Islander, in exchange for slightly younger AHL winger Blake McLaughlin.

Balmas, 23, has just four goals and four assists in 54 games with the Panthers' AHL affiliate this season. However, he had 15 goals and 22 points last year. Florida selected him in the seventh round of the 2016 draft.

McLaughlin, 22, has played only three games for the Colorado Eagles this year after being signed out of junior earlier in the season. He was acquired in September from the Ottawa Senators, who took him in the third round in 2018.

The deal will allow the Eagles to ice a fourth line comprised entirely of Islanders alumni with Balmas lining up beside Kameron Kielly and Nikita Alexandrov.

[AvalancheGM]

Greenway traded to Philadelphia

In a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, the Avalanche gave up on a player who had long been considered one of their top prospects.

Defenceman James Greenway was shipped to the Flyers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2022 and a fifth-rounder in 2023.

The 23-year-old, a 2016 second round pick, has major shutdown potential but his development was mismanaged by previous Avalanche management regimes. He played a full season in the NHL at 19 and has struggled to improve his defensive game ever since.

Once GM Josh Lewis took over, Greenway spent most of his time in the AHL until this season, in which he has eight points in 38 NHL games.

"He's shown a bit of progress recently, but the organization is overflowing with younger D prospects and we don't have the time or roster space to see it through with him," the GM said.

Ironically, Greenway has looked best while playing left wing, his secondary position, because of the need for ice time for those prospects.

The team has not recalled anyone to take his place as of yet, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Simon Holmstrom get the call.

The deal gives Colorado 12 picks in the 2022 draft, including five in the fourth round. They also have nine picks in 2023.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs make flurry of trades on deadline day

The Colorado Avalanche made no fewer than five trades involving 26 assets on deadline day in the EHEC. More coverage to come tomorrow.

IN
Drew Doughty
Alex Nylander
Ryan Gropp
Jake Oettinger
Isaiah Saville
Connor Bunnaman
Carson Bantle
Artyom Grushnikov
Vladislav Kolyachonok
Miles Gendron
NYR 2nd 2022
NSH 2nd 2023
NSH 4th 2022

OUT
Dmitry Kulikov
Damir Galin
Nolan Foote
Carter Hart
Slava Demin
Shai Buium
Conner Roulette
Ladislav Smid
Juho Lammikko
Otto Somppi
LA 2nd 2022
LA 3rd 2023
VAN 3rd 2023

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche acquire Gropp from Stars

In their first move on a busy deadline day, the Avalanche picked up two-way winger Ryan Gropp from the Dallas Stars.

In exchange, they gave up LA's 2nd round pick in this year's draft, defence prospects Slava Demin and Shai Buium, and winger Juho Lammikko.

Gropp, 25, is a very strong defensive forward who also owns a strong shot and good hands. He looks to have struggled in Dallas this year, with eight points in 29 games, but is seen as a part of the long-term core in Denver.

"Winning teams need players like Ryan in their bottom six. He's very effective defensively, he can hit and he can produce offence if given the chance," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "He does have some warts, like low consistency and endurance, but on the whole we're quite happy to acquire him."

Demin, 21, is a former fifth-round pick of the Sharks who was acquired in the off-season. He has 11 points in 46 AHL games this season and also got a nine-game callup to the NHL, where he posted one assist.

"Slava has an NHL future, but his ceiling is lower than many of our defence prospects. He was expendable," the GM said.

Buium, 18, was also acquired from the Sharks, coming over in the Alex Nedeljkovic trade in November. He was taken in the third round, 82nd overall, in last year's draft. His ceiling is higher than Demin's, but he's a few years away from the NHL and again, the Avs have several better D prospects.

Lammikko, 26, was included to clear a roster spot. He has two points in 14 games with the Avs this year, mostly as an extra forward, as well as three points in three AHL games.

[AvalancheGM]

Avs swap Kulikov for Doughty, futures

The Colorado Avalanche made four major trades on deadline day, but a shakeup on their top defence pair may have been the biggest.

Colorado shipped #1 defenceman Dmitry Kulikov to the Nashville Predators for another veteran stud, Drew Doughty, along with goalie prospect Isaiah Saville, a second-round pick in 2023 and a fourth-rounder in 2022.

Doughty, 32, is a slight downgrade on the 31-year-old Kulikov. But the move will save the Avs about $2.3 mil in cap space next season which, as you'll learn later on, will be needed.

Kulikov has five goals and 20 points in 59 games this season, his second in Colorado. His production this year has been disappointing after 38 points last season; he's on pace for the lowest point total of his career.

"Dmitry is a stud, but we've been looking to move him for some time. This isn't the type of deal we had envisioned, but we get some futures and have the option of moving Doughty for more. His $5.5 million contract extension will make that easier," said GM Josh Lewis.

Doughty has 29 points in 59 games this season. He is a major defensive upgrade on Kulikov but a downgrade in the hitting department. This will be his second stint in Colorado after playing here from 2011 to 2014.

"He's a different player from Kulikov, but for our purposes as a rebuilding team he's more or less the same calibre of player," the GM said.

Saville, 21, also makes his return to the Avs organization. He started 71 games for the AHL Eagles in 2019-20 before being dealt to Nashville in the Steve Mason deal. He's not the most skilled goalie but he is extremely consistent, which makes him a strong candidate to be Colorado's backup next season. For now, he's likely to get the lion's share of the AHL starts since the Predators haven't played him at all this season.

"We're happy to get him back. With Calle Clang and Patrik Hamrla at least a couple years away, and our current AHL goalie prospects both having the consistency of a road full of potholes, Saville is a good option to have."

[AvalancheGM]

Galin traded to Red Wings

The Colorado Avalanche shipped shutdown defenceman Damir Galin to the rival Detroit Red Wings on Monday as part of a flurry of trade deadline moves.

In return, the Avs receive a second-round pick in this year's draft, forward Connor Bunnaman and prospect Carson Bantle.

Galin, 28, has been a physical stud on the Avalanche blueline for the past three seasons. He doesn't put up much offence (though he is on pace for a career high in points) but he piles up hits, takeaways and shot blocks every game.

"If we were a contending team, there is no way we'd trade Damir," said GM Josh Lewis. "We couldn't be happier with the job he's done since we got him from Boston in 2020. But the reality is we need room for a lot of promising D prospects to develop."

He's been a staple on the second pair this season, mostly paired with young shutdown protege Xavier Bernard.

Bunnaman, 23, was included as a salary dump. He has four points in 31 NHL games this year and four points in 11 AHL contests. He will become a free agent after the season.

Bantle, 19, is a winger Detroit selected in the fourth round, 104th overall, in the 2020 EHEC Draft. He projects as a solid fourth line hitter down the road.

The deal leaves Colorado with six NHL defencemen, including Owen Power, who is currently suspended. They will likely call up veteran David Fischer for his first action of the season since recalling a younger prospect would force Fischer into the AHL lineup and risk vopatizing.

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche acquire Nylander for Foote, pick

The Colorado Avalanche have added more firepower to their young core, shoring up their weak left side in a deal with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Avs traded young winger Nolan Foote and a 2023 third-round pick to Vancouver for star winger Alexander Nylander.

Nylander, 24, is an elite playmaker with a very good shot who also excels at carrying the puck. He avoids going into corners, but otherwise is solid defensively with a bit of room to grow.

"Alex is the missing piece to our top six group, which is all between ages 23 and 26 and just entering their primes," said Avs GM Josh Lewis.

Nylander is somewhat similar to Avalanche LW Ivan Barbashev, except with a much better shot. Barbashev is the oldest of the top six core at 26 and depending on the progression of Taylor Raddysh and Noel Gunler, could be moved in the summer.

Nylander is expected to take over as Colorado's top line left winger. He has 11 goals and 30 points in 52 games for Vancouver this year, but owns career bests of 25 goals and 56 points. He's under contract for one more season at $4.7 million.

Foote, 21, is among the Avs' notable young players but the club feels he has reached his ceiling and that the acquisition of Ryan Gropp earlier in the day made him expendable. The physical two-way winger has only one goal and nine points in 42 games this season.

"Nolan came to us in the Dion Phaneuf deal with the Islanders last season. He's gone as far as he can go, frankly, and was healthy scratched a number of times this season to accommodate ice time for other prospects," the GM said.

Colorado's top six group, when healthy, now looks like this:

Nylander (85/71) - Yamamoto (85/70) - Marner (85/75)
Barbashev (84/71) - Patrick (81/81) - Kuokkanen (82/80)

[AvalancheGM]

Avalanche acquire Oettinger from Devils

The Colorado Avalanche believe they have found their man between the pipes for years to come.

In their fifth of six deals on trade deadline day, the Avs acquired goalie Jake Oettinger from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for goalie Carter Hart, forward prospect Conner Roulette and a third-round pick in 2023.

Oettinger, 23, was in his third season as New Jersey's starter. He combines strong (but not elite) ability with very good consistency. The rebuilding Devils have been among the league's worst teams the past couple years, but as a rookie in 2019-20 he led them to the playoffs with a 2.94 GAA and .897 SP in 65 games.

The Devils selected him in the second round, 35th overall, in 2017.

"Jake has the talent, the consistency and most importantly his age fits with our young core," said Avs GM Josh Lewis. "The Devils wanted to move him because he's due a $2.4 million contract extension, but that is reasonable for what he brings. He's not quite in the elite echelon, but with EHM's quirks we don't necessarily need that."

Hart, 23, was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the Alex Nedeljkovic trade in November. He has been splitting games with Ilya Konovalov ever since, with a 3.41 GAA and .862 SP in 29 games. He led the team on a 5-0-1 run in late January and early February, but other than that he has struggled.

Roulette, an 18-year-old centre, was selected with the 51st overall pick in last year's draft. He has major scoring potential but a serious issue with consistency that may benefit from a change of scenery.

"We added a pile of scoring prospects in last year's draft and our top six is already set for years to come, so we could afford to move him," the GM said.