The problem with offering such a "low" one year contract, is that other teams could offer more. The Avs would have to match or risk the players being lost to the other offer. Would imagine the offers wold have to be at least 5.8 m a year (for compensation purposes).

Even worse is the fact that by lowballing them now, you give them another year to prove how good they are and for them to potentially play really well. Then you got to pay them even more then you would normally. When you know for a fact you have good young player, you sign them long as soon as possible. May be not worth it the first year but long term you end up with the "Pacioretty effect". A player whose worth way more then he is being paid.

I agree with the worry, but the Avs just have two big money contracts locked up in older players right now Stuart and Iginla, but at the end of the year that gives over 9 million in additional cash you could give both over 7 million contracts and still be fine when it comes to cap space.

True, but in the cap era every dollar counts. If you know you got a stud, sign him longterm right away. Example of this is the Subban contract. He wanted 5.5M for 6-7 years before winning the Norris. That burned the Habs in the long run.