Wash Rinse and

Team: 2022-23 Colorado Avalanche

Initial Creation Date: Jul. 10, 2022

Published: Jul. 11, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

First of all: I really hate thinking about trading Sam Girard. The math is getting harder and harder to find an effective #2 Center. The Avs know all too well how important 2nd line scoring is to this team and cannot allow that spot to regress too far. I don't think Newhook is ready next year and Compher is just way too inconsistent. You could try putting Rantanen there for the full season but we still need another top 6 forward in any case; and you are losing one of the top faceoff winners in Kadri (which does matter come playoff time).
Dvorak is a great possession player that is under a great contract that can survive in Colorado over the next few years with the extensions the Avs need to hand out (MacKinnon, Byram, Newhook, etc).

Without Manson there is a hole on the Right side behind Makar and with EJ's injury history and lack of depth in the Avs organization there that this needs to be filled. Enter John Marino from Pittsburgh as a "pseudo cap-dump" by moving our former first round prospects (Bowers, Kaut) that are unlikely to crack the lineup before their waiver exempt status expires. Marino is a two-way defender that started strong, regressed, but has rebounded as a reliable NHL top 4 defender. His age and contract fit in with our needs and his playing style could mesh really well with Byram or Toews going forward. Another RHD to target on the cheap is Austin Strand a Group 6 UFA in LA who has a ridiculous path to the NHL roster there (5 NHL RHD contracts and 2 elite RHD prospects); his game fits the Avs style of play, he has size, and he has some NHL experience and is also still young and cheap. He might be able to slot into the 3rd pair as an injury replacement or next year as Eric Johnson's replacement if his contract isn't extended.

The Girard trade leaves a big hole on the 3rd pair to partner with EJ that needs to be filled (Byram injury history) so we'll call up newly re-signed Jacob MacDonald who has had enough call ups over the years and filled in well. Wyatt Aamodt could factor in there as well after he has more time to develop in the professional game.

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