Team: 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche

Initial Creation Date: Jul. 23, 2021

Published: Jul. 23, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

As mentioned below, Arizona signs Garland for one year at $5M and retains 50% to increase his trade value. He'll still be an RFA the following year, so the Avs can either keep him or trade his RFA rights to recoup some of the assets. In the interim, they get an affordable top 6 winger to help them navigate a year where the cap is tight.

The second line with Garland, Newhook, and Burakovsky would be fun as hell, and that third line could be one of the best in the league. Obviously Newhook can be moved around if 2C proves too much for him out of the gate. I don't think of him as 2C so much as centering one of the middle six lines though, and this puts him in a good position to succeed.

Suter would be a great one year play and add a veteran presence on the back end. Him and Girard could work well together and eat a ton of minutes. It also allows EJ and Byram to play a little less, which is beneficial for obvious reasons. I don't love that Timmins ends up as the 7th defenseman, but this is the best path toward a Cup, and his time will come in the following season.

Best of all, this still leaves a ton of flex for the future, which Sakic likes.

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