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Colorado Avalanche: Chances of Meszaros, Skille Making the Team

By Janik Beichler

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Just before the start of training camp, the Colorado Avalanche announced the signing of defenseman Andrej Meszaros and forward Jack Skille to professional tryout contracts (PTO). The two add some extra competition for the few spots on the third and fourth lines. However, their actual chances of making the team are rather slim.

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Meszaros, who is turning 30 next month, spent the 2014-15 campaign with the Buffalo Sabres. Just like fellow Sabre, now Avalanche Nikita Zadorov, Meszaros played 60 games that season, and the two have nearly identical stats. Meszaros scored seven goals and seven assists for 14 points, while Zadorov checked in at three goals, 12 assists and 15 points. The two were a minus-13 and minus-10, respectively.

The major difference between Meszaros and Zadorov is their age and experience. Meszaros is an aging and declining two-way defenseman, while Zadorov is trying to get to where Meszaros used to be. For the Colorado Avalanche, Meszaros could technically fill a spot on the bottom four.

However, the team currently holds seven D-men on one-way contracts, plus Zadorov and Brandon Gormley. As if that wasn’t enough, Duncan Siemens should be sick of playing in the American Hockey League by now, and Chris Bigras has looked great in the prospect development and rookie camps. So, the Colorado Avalanche already had 11 players fighting for six spots, when they decided to bring in Meszaros.

For those who aren’t familiar with PTOs, they work like this: The players signed to PTOs get to join their respective team in training camp and may play in preseason games. However, they will have to sign a standard NHL contract to play in a regular season game.

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So, there is no buyout or anything similar involved, if the Avalanche decides to cut Meszaros. He is likely a better player than Brad Stuart and Nate Guenin, but with Nick Holden, Zach Redmond, Zadorov, Gormley, Bigras and Siemens also under contract, there is basically no way that the Avalanche keeps him. It will add to the training camp group, and Meszaros gets a chance to show himself in the preseason — should be nothing more.

Jack Skille, however, may have a better chance to actually earn a contract. The Chicago Blackhawks’ 2005 7th overall draft pick, Skille was once a highly touted prospect, who scored close to a point per game in the AHL. In the NHL, it never quite worked out, though.

Related: The Colorado Avalanche’s Right Wing Depth Chart Is Ridiculous

Nevertheless, he may still be a decent bottom-six player. The Colorado Avalanche currently has exactly one natural right winger on the roster — veteran Jarome Iginla. Nathan MacKinnon fills another spot on the right side, and Dennis Everberg should be back as well. However, the fourth-line is still in need of a decent winger, if the Avalanche wants to plan without Marc-Andre Cliche and Patrick Bordeleau.

Still, Jesse Winchester, Borna Rendulic, Mikko Rantanen and others want to make the team as a right winger. Skille adds to that competition, and — as opposed to Meszaros — may actually get a chance to stay.

So, Meszaros and Skille could both turn out to be good additions for training camp, but it would be no surprise if neither one is offered a contract for the season. If one of them makes it, it will be Skille.

Next: Mikko Rantanen: Turning Heads in Training Camp

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