An Optimistic Attempt

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Created by: Anus_McLeod

Team: 2024-25 Colorado Avalanche

Initial Creation Date: Mar. 26, 2024

Published: Mar. 26, 2024

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Description

As the title implies, this is pretty much optimistic across the board.

Optimistic Take #1: Landeskog comes back healthy.
Optimistic Take #2: Drouin gets a raise but nothing so crazy that it prices him out of Colorado. In other words, he likes it in Colorado and takes less to stay.
Optimistic Take #3: Mittelstadt comes in at 6M or below. If needed, term can be adjusted to make it happen.
Optimistic Take #4: Ritchie, Kovalenko, and Foudy prove themselves ready for a permanent role in the NHL.
Optimistic Take #5: Walker comes in at 5M or below. Same deal on term as with Mitts.

I acknowledge that it is highly unlikely that all of these come to fruition. Also, all the optimism comes with some negatives (i.e., losing Manson and Colton). Wish we could keep them both, but Drouin > Colton and Walker > Manson imo.

Free Agent Signings

RESERVE LIST		YEARS	CAP HIT
Behrens, Sean		3	$950,000
Ritchie, Calum		3	$950,000

RFA		YEARS	CAP HIT
Annunen, Justus		2	$800,000
Mittelstadt, Casey		5	$5,850,000

UFA	YEARS	CAP HIT
Johnson, Jack	1	$775,000
Drouin, Jonathan	2	$3,500,000
MacDonald, Jacob	1	$775,000
Walker, Sean	5	$4,750,000

Trades

COL

2025 3rd round pick (TBL)

TBL

Manson, Josh

Additional Details:

Not sure if Tampa is the right spot. Sending him there in this acgm simpy because that's where everyone wants to play. I think a third is a good deal for whoever acquires him.

COL

2025 2nd round pick (NSH)

NSH

Colton, Ross

Additional Details:

Nashville seems like a good fit if Colton is moved. They could use good depth. This would happen before the trade protection kicks in, so it could be somewhere else.

Draft	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
2024
2025
2026

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
21	$87,700,000	$87,668,750	$0	$57,500	$31,250

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Drouin, Jonathan $3,500,000$3,500,000 LW, RW UFA	MacKinnon, Nathan $12,600,000$12,600,000 C NMC UFA - 7	Rantanen, Mikko $9,250,000$9,250,000 RW, C M-NTC UFA - 1
Lehkonen, Artturi $4,500,000$4,500,000 LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 3	Mittelstadt, Casey $5,850,000$5,850,000 LW, C RFA	Nichushkin, Valeri $6,125,000$6,125,000 RW, LW NMC UFA - 6
Landeskog, Gabriel $7,000,000$7,000,000 LW, C NMC UFA - 5	Ritchie, Calum $950,000$950,000 C RFA	Kovalenko, Nikolai $896,250$896,250 ($57,500$58K) RW RFA - 1
Wood, Miles $2,500,000$2,500,000 LW M-NTC UFA - 5	Foudy, Jean-Luc $847,500$847,500 C RFA - 1	O'Connor, Logan $1,050,000$1,050,000 RW, LW UFA - 1

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Toews, Devon $7,250,000$7,250,000 LD NMC UFA - 7	Makar, Cale $9,000,000$9,000,000 RD UFA - 3	Georgiev, Alexandar $3,400,000$3,400,000 G UFA - 1
Girard, Samuel $5,000,000$5,000,000 LD/RD M-NTC UFA - 3	Walker, Sean $4,750,000$4,750,000 LD/RD UFA	Annunen, Justus $800,000$800,000 G RFA - 2
Johnson, Jack $775,000$775,000 LD UFA	Malinski, Sam $850,000$850,000 RD RFA - 1

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)
MacDonald, Jacob $775,000$775,000 LD/RD UFA

Taxi Squad
Ivan, Ivan $845,000$845,000 ($0$0$0$0) C RFA - 2

Mar. 26 at 12:10 p.m.

gmgb

Joined: Jun. 2017

Posts: 7,625

Likes: 5,215

NSH declines. Colton isn't really worth a 2nd, or $4M a season. The Preds have multiple call up options in the A, that should be able to match or beat Colton's production.

Anus_McLeod liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:22 p.m.

MeetYourMakar

Joined: Feb. 2020

Posts: 2,830

Likes: 2,481

I wouldn't move Manson to keep Walker. Manson does more around the puck and plays with a presence. JJ likely wont be back so they need some size and Walker's offence can be found elsewhere, like Malinski.

Anus_McLeod, NMAvsFan, TJTwolf and 1 other person liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:24 p.m.

Hawksguy81

Joined: Nov. 2022

Posts: 8,524

Likes: 10,371

Don't see Tampa being the spot for Josh. They aren't going to want that cap hit on the right side of their blue line. More pressing needs elsewhere on the roster.

Anus_McLeod liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:25 p.m.

Anus_McLeod

Thread Starter

Joined: Apr. 2020

Posts: 3,584

Likes: 3,444

Quoting: gmgb

NSH declines. Colton isn't really worth a 2nd, or $4M a season. The Preds have multiple call up options in the A, that should be able to match or beat Colton's production.

I don't agree with much of your comment. I think he's worth both the price and the salary. I may not have the right team though.

NMAvsFan, TJTwolf, MeetYourMakar and 2 others liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:31 p.m.

Anus_McLeod

Thread Starter

Joined: Apr. 2020

Posts: 3,584

Likes: 3,444

Quoting: MeetYourMakar

I'd love to keep both, but I'm taking Walker if I have to choose one. Manson can be replaced easier at the next deadline or earlier.

NMAvsFan liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:55 p.m.

NMAvsFan

Representing the 505

Joined: Sep. 2020

Posts: 4,492

Likes: 3,682

I do think it's very unlikely Ritchie gets brought in next season; it sounded like they want him to go back to junior for one more year. I'm not sure he has anything left to accomplish there considering how good he was this season but, since they can't send him to the A if he truly isn't ready to be in the NHL in a significant role, they may feel like they have no choice but to leave him in junior for another year. I do think they should sign him so he's under contract and he can join once next juniors season is over.

Anus_McLeod, TJTwolf and MeetYourMakar liked this.

Mar. 26 at 12:58 p.m.

NMAvsFan

Representing the 505

Joined: Sep. 2020

Posts: 4,492

Likes: 3,682

Quoting: MeetYourMakar

Malinski seems to have taken a step back since returning to the Eagles; his production is down which is disappointing. Ideally, he would have built off his success in the NHL. That doesn't mean he won't get another shot but the Avs are very impatient with guys like him. But I do agree that Manson does have a "presence" around the puck, even if he makes mistakes and takes penalties. That being said, I do think they can find someone that may not be able to do what he does offensively but can be a good defensive stalwart.

Anus_McLeod and MeetYourMakar liked this.

Mar. 26 at 5:06 p.m.

MeetYourMakar

Joined: Feb. 2020

Posts: 2,830

Likes: 2,481

Quoting: Anus_McLeod

I'd love to keep both, but I'm taking Walker if I have to choose one. Manson can be replaced easier at the next deadline or earlier.

Quoting: NMAvsFan

I wouldn't look too much into a small down time for Malinski's first full pro career, its normal. They show no patience when its clear there isnt a fit with Barron n Timmins, and Heleson told them he wasnt going to sign, so thats a write off. I believe Walker is the easier of the two to replace as theyve done it through draft, trade, and free agent signing. They have failed in multiple attempts to find a Manson. Nemeths, Graves, and others. Let me know some rhd or even lhd that will provide what Manson brings for less money and fits the Avs speed and style of play.
Edit: I can see them sending Ritchie back for another jr year to grow physically and play in the WJC's.

ArakinSkywalker liked this.

Mar. 26 at 5:21 p.m.

gmgb

Joined: Jun. 2017

Posts: 7,625

Likes: 5,215

Quoting: Anus_McLeod

I don't agree with much of your comment. I think he's worth both the price and the salary. I may not have the right team though.

Definitely not the right team. NSH has a lot of middle six center depth already (Sissons, Novak, Glass, Pärssinen). None of those guys cost as much as Colton. Sissons and Novak are better players. Pärssinen has a higher ceiling. Unless it's a bona fide #1, NSH likely isn't adding a center.

I think $4M is too much for a 30-some point 3rd line center, and a 2nd is too much to fill that role - unless the player coming in was either a standout in that role, and/or on a team friendly contract. I don't think either of those things applies to Colton. To each their own though.

Anus_McLeod liked this.

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