Quoting: Richard88
Haha, I've already mentally written Compher off for 2023 because there's no way the Avs can or should bring him back. Let someone else pay him $4m-ish.
AJ from DNVR was talking about a bridge for Newhook being $6-7m but I dont think he gets anywhere near that I less it's with a lot of term. Necas at $3.25mx2 was my comparable here.
Byram will indeed be the interesting one. He's obviously a high end Dman, but as yet he only has 59 regular season games played. Without longevity it'll be hard for him to demand a huge long term deal, especially with concussion issues looming large.
Annunen should be ready by 2024. If not the Avs likely need to go with a cheap UFA anyhow. Behrens could get fast-tracked, else theres an option of going 1x1 with EJ or another UFA as a stop gap until Behrens is ready.
Unless Newhook goes off this year and scores 65-70 points, no chance he gets a $6-7M deal; the Necas comp is probably a good one. Now, if he shows he can get better each season and works his way into being the regular 2C that Bednar trusts, after that bridge he'll get paid like a 2C when there is money available to do so.
Byram has to do two things this season: A) Stay healthy!, and 2) show he can be a high-end difference-maker every night throughout a long season. If he does that, he'll definitely be looking at a high-priced bridge or a rich long-term deal. I'd say, if he does stay healthy and is tracking for 40-50 points, he could ask for something on the order of $8Mx8. It makes me wonder if the Avs would contemplate trading him for a huge haul to restock the pipeline so they can re-sign Toews. If they can get back a solid middle-pair defender that can slot in right away but has a budget-friendly contract, a very good young F prospect and a 1st (maybe two), there are teams that would pay that for a guy like Byram if he shows he's a real-deal 1D.
I'd say it's more likely EJ does a league-minimum deal than Behrens getting fast-tracked; just doesn't seem like something they'd do but maybe, especially if he has a good year at DU.