Bennet needs to repeat for this to be a discussion. Girard doesn't get bumped by Manson. He pairs with him. Avs aren't trading Girard for career year Bennet, a 2nd and Puutio. Puutio could be something, but it's not like this summer's wjc was best on best. Him going back home after one whl season has me cautious he can make the switch full time.
Not a horrible post. I don't see it working tho.

This is for the 2023-24 season so this assumes Bennett has another 50-55 point season. I cant see the Avs being able to afford 26+ million dollars on 5 defensemen so I feel like they're going to get rid of one. I can see them trading Toews as 2023-24 would be his contract year but I also feel like they'll try to go for the cup and wont trade their second best defenseman before that.

Thank you, I didn't notice that lol. I think the Avs are going to run with all of Makar,Toews,Byram and Girard for this and most likely next season. Only reason they can is because enough offense runs through the D and not one of the 6 is a liability defensively. Sure it's expensive, but it's better than paying double digit % on goalies.

Look, I love the Zub as much as the next guy, but why wouldn't you just keep Brandon Montour at 1x$3.5M for 2023-24 instead of dumping him for pennies on the dollar here? It gives you ~$2.5M to sign an LD3 (and upgrade 3C if we're being honest), and it also gives you more cap flexibility for summer 2024 when Anton Lundell is gonna need a new deal and you're going to have to figure out how to extend/replace Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair, and Gustav Forsling.

This is what most here don’t understand. The defense produces points, not just Makar, at such a level they can afford to work out the 2C issue during the season, the defense is so good they can run a goalie tandem out that makes less than a lot of starters do. COL isn’t just going to move someone like Girard who is young, good and cost controlled for the next half decade for anything that doesn’t make the team better and I have serious concerns that Bennet is that guy. Last year his most common linemates was Huberdeau whom he played 51.5% of the time with.

Gotta think that Jets accept that given how they've soured on Stanley and Montour is RD

Not bad.

RFA:

Denisenko: 950K (he hasn’t proved that he is a full time NHL player, a nine game trial would be great)
Knight: 3,500,000M (he’s going to be great for a long time once he gets the starting role)
Carlsson: 975K (he’s a good bottom pairing d-man who can give you 10-12 Pts)
Stanley: 975K (similar to Denisenko he hasn’t proved that he is a full time NHL player)
Balcers: 1,250,000 (he’s a solid bottom six player but isn’t a 2.5M player)


UFA:

Zub: 4,500,000 (I don’t think he leaves Ottawa, they are working on a extension. He’s a great top 4 d-man)
Gudas: 2,500,000 (solid bottom 4 d-man who can give you 15-20 Pts)
Levtchi 995K (not sure who he is but he can get a roster spot)

Trades:

Makes sense to trade Bennett. Lindell will be once the 2C. He won’t go to Col. They don’t need a 2C or 3C. At least not yet.
Stanley can become good but I think it’s a risk to tarde a 25-30-35 point player for someone who hasn’t proven.

Lines:

Tkachuk - Barkov - Reinhart
Verhaeghe - Lindell - Denisenko
Duclair - Sourdif - Levtchi
Couzins - Luostarinen - Balcers

Forsling - Ekblad
Girard - Zub
Carlsson - Gudas

Bobrovsky - Knight