Helm is a lock IMO, PK experience will make sure he is on the active roster as he is the PEB replacement. Wingerli could be an inserting guy to look out for but I see him and LOC battling for that last spot if thats the case

I know its a placeholder but Ranta wont be on the roster, it benefits him 0 to sit in the press box. The guy will tear up the AHL and get big minutes working on his game

This team just lacks the grit and character thats needed for them to make a serious run. Bottom 6 has no shut down guys.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. COL has to trade one of their three LHD OFD for a RHD shut down guy and a grit bottm 6 guy.

Tampa didn't win the cup until they had a "playoffs" line with goodrow and coleman.

COL should've gone after a guy like Perry and maybe re-united him with Getzlaf if he signed for cheap. a 4th line of Perry-Getzlaf-Helm would be so much better for a cup contender like COL.

IMO COL should try to get Manson from ANA maybe rackell too in order to fill out the top 6.

This team got worse in every way over this offseason.

EDIT* 2 LHD OFD.... forgot makar was RHD

I agree with some of this and disagree with other parts

I wouldve liked adding Perry and I agree there isnt much grit, but the bottom 6 does have shut down guys. Nichushkin and Jost formed one of the best shutdown/possession lines in the league last year with Donskoi, and O'Connor had great possession numbers as well but in a smaller sample size

And calling Toews, Girard, and Makar OFDs doesnt really seem fitting. Just because they are good on offense doesnt mean they are bad defensively. Toews is one of the best defensive guys in the league and Makar is above average defensively as well. Girard is probably the most one dimensional of the 3 but he makes up for it in terms of offense and his transition game. Plus when you have Johnson and Murray to fill out the rest of the D core I think they are fine on D. Last year they were the best in the league in terms of xGA and the changes they made were Graves -> Johnson and Timmins/Nemeth -> Murray

Overall last year was the most stacked the Avs roster was gonna get, it was basically impossible for Sakic to improve the team this offseason. That was out of the question from a cap perspective + with the expansion draft, but I think he did a pretty good job of keeping together as many guys as possible

Regardless of whether or not your take is correct, I can't see Sakic changing the core identity of the team. They want to possess the puck and play with speed; Rackell would fit in well with their scheme, Manson would not. That being said, Maltsev is apparently very good with the puck and a guy like LOC plays "gritty" (without much NHL level skill outside of skating). Helm is pretty "gritty" as well. EJ will also play physically (and get hurt at least once this season).