Colorado Avalanche: Worst Case Scenario for the Offseason

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Feb 9, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche left wing Blake Comeau (14) takes a shot in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

Current Contracts

Maintaining the status quo is the disastrous option here. The Colorado Avalanche have three bad contracts:

Carl Soderberg: $4.75 million, 3 more seasons
Francois Beauchemin: $4.5 million, 1 more season
Blake Comeau: $2.4 million, 1 more season

There’s no way Colorado is unloading all three of those contracts. Of the three, Comeau’s is the least onerous. That’s not a ton of money, and Colorado could just make him a healthy scratch on most nights.

It’s going to be almost impossible to get rid of Carl Soderberg, unless Colorado bribes the Las Vegas Golden Knights to take him in the Expansion Draft. I’m not convinced it would be worth it, though.

We all want to see Francois Beauchemin go. Colorado could buy him out. But Avs insider Adrian Dater thinks they won’t. And that means they have to protect him in the Expansion Draft.

In other words, this is the worst case scenario that might just come to pass.

To add a little vinegar to the mix, Colorado may not be able to sign their 2013 draft, defenseman Will Butcher.

Finally, losing defenseman Nikita Zadorov, a pending restricted free agent, to the KHL would be a disaster. It’s not ideal, but I’d rather see Colorado overpay him.

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