Colorado Avalanche Showing Interest in Signing Andrei Mironov
The Colorado Avalanche need a stay-at-home defenseman who can skate and get the puck up to the forwards, and they may have said defenseman on their team next season.
Andrei Mironov, a Colorado Avalanche draft prospect from 2015, has apparently been meeting with the Colorado Avalanche.
Mironov is a former KHL All Star, and an extremely reliable defenseman with smooth skating, and a good first pass. He’s also a bruising player with a mean streak. Essentially, he’s exactly the type of defenseman the Avs need on their team right now.
His current contract in the KHL runs through the rest of this season, and then he is obviously allowed to sign with Colorado, or stay in Russia.
Most KHL players either sign with an NHL club, and play with that club, or stay in Russia and get paid there. So, it’s good to hear that the Avs have started negotiations early.
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Mironov would be a great addition to the Avs defensive group on the bottom pairing to start. However, he easily has the potential to climb into the top four, or even on the top pairing.
More on Andrei Mironov — Movie Time
Mironov actually has a pretty good shot from the point as well, even though he’s more known for his defensive skills. Witness:
He’s great at hitting too, here he is hitting former Avs’ prospect Joey Hishon:
However, the most enticing aspect of Mironov’s game are his puckhandling skills, as he showcases finely tuned stick skills for a “stay-at-home” defenseman.
He skates with speed, and is willing to take it himself and score if necessary:
Here’s the kicker: can the Avs convince the young KHL star to play in North America? He has at least shown some interest in playing in the NHL — this from ThinkRussia:
There is always a place to grow, and NHL is one of the possible future options. Hockey is very different over there partly due to the fact that the rinks are noticeably smaller in size. That results in more physical play. The tactics are quite different and that is what’s interesting for sure. However, I feel like I need to grow strong first to rival existing players of the NHL so I’ll be sticking with Dynamo for now.
That was from back in 2013, and the Avs didn’t end up selecting him until the 2015 NHL Draft. However, with his contract set to expire at the end of this season, it seems likely that he may want to make the move to North American hockey.
What Would Andrei Mironov Bring to the Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have a dismal blueline, and they need some stability in a few different places. One of those places is in the bottom pairing.
Mironov would certainly need some time to adjust to the North American style of play, but his game should be particularly well suited to the smaller rink. He likes to hit, and he likes to take away space, which are both facets of the smaller rink.
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After an adjustment period, it’s certainly conceivable to imagine Mironov playing on the bottom pairing. He’s young, and his brand of defense is something that the Avs are currently missing on their blueline.
Furthermore, he would also offer a nice locker room presence for the other Russian players currently on the Avs’ roster. It’s unfortunate that he is not right-handed because a Nikita Zadorov and Andrei Mironov pairing would be fun to see in a few years.
Nonetheless, the Avs need stability on the left side, and Mironov would be a great addition to the club if he decides to make the move to North America.
Conclusion
The Colorado Avalanche need defense in a bad way, and it’s nice to know that they are still looking within their own organization to fill in the gaps.
Mironov is by no means a bona-fide star, but he has been a reliable defenseman in the KHL. He’s now 22 years old, and has a bright future ahead of him in the NHL if he decides to make the move.
He might need to start in the AHL, and that might be what the Avs are talking to him about. Most KHL players want to make the jump directly to the NHL because they feel ready for the task.
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Furthermore, money could become an issue as well because contracts are generally bigger in the KHL. He would obviously be signed to an entry-level contract if he joined the NHL though, so that may only be poignant when he’s set to become a free agent.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few months. There are other contract situations that the Avs will be involved with as well, such as Tyson Jost. But hey, that’s a topic for another article.
Keep an eye on Andrei Mironov, he could be a great addition to the Avs blueline as early as next season.