Colorado Avalanche Make 2 More Signings: Martin Kaut and Matt Nieto

The Colorado Avalanche are making low-key signings that nonetheless improve both the NHL and AHL team.

The Colorado Avalanche have been busy taking care of business before the long two months of absolutely nothing hockey related. (Let’s face it, we’re already there with Free Agency Frenzy in the rearview mirror.)

In any case, the team has undertaken some housekeeping items. They’ve made two very important signings, Martin Kaut and Matthew Nieto, in the last couple days. They’ve also signed three AHLers and even augmented their equipment staff.

Let’s start with the big signings.

Martin Kaut

Age: 18
Position: Right wing
Contract: Entry-level, 3 years, $1.35 AAV

The Colorado Avalanche selected right wing Martin Kaut with their first-round draft pick this year. He attended their prospect development camp, and then he signed his entry-level contract.

This news isn’t too surprising to me. Kaut stated on draft day he wanted to come over to North America and play. He’s been playing in the Czech league, but now he should be able to come play for the Colorado Eagles.

The contract looks like a pretty standard one. His base salary is $832,500, but his cap hit is $925,000 when you add in signing bonuses. He can earn up to an additional $425,000 in performance bonuses for an AAV of $1.35 million. In the AHL, though, his salary will be $70,000. Those numbers are consistent across all three years.

Last year, Kaut spent the majority of the season playing for the HC Dynamo Pardubice. In 38 games, he recorded 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists). As noted previously, though, he was playing in a men’s league and seeing limited ice time. With the Czech U-20 team, he played 19 games and recorded 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists).

Read more about Martin Kaut at prospect development camp:

Matt Nieto

Age: 25
Position: Wing
Contract: Standard, 2 years, $1.975 million AAV

Colorado picked up winger Matt Nieto from waivers on January 5, 2017, which was pretty much the half-season mark of that awful 48-point season. However, Nieto recorded 11 points (7 goals, 4 assists) in 43 games.

That summer he became a restricted free agent. He filed for salary arbitration and settled with the team for a one-year, $1 million contract. He was a RFA again this summer, and he again filed for arbitration. This time he earned two years with an AAV of $1.975 million, which is quite the tidy raise.

Last season Nieto recorded his best goal-scoring season with 15 and his second-best points season with 26. He was a mainstay of the third line, centered by Carl Soderberg.

GM Joe Sakic said of signing Nieto:

"“Matt brings speed and offensive depth to our lineup. He adds a lot of energy to our team and was a big part of our penalty kill this past season. We’re excited to have him back for the next two years.”"

Not bad for a California boy — Long Beach native at that.

Read about Matt Nieto’s first NHL hat trick:

At the time of writing, defenseman Patrik Nemeth had filed for salary arbitration, but there had been no resolution.

AHL Signings

At the beginning of the week, the Colorado Avalanche also made their obligatory AHL signings.

First, they took care of in-house business by signing 28-year-old goalie Joe Cannata to a one-year contract with an AAV of $665,000. However, it’s expected he’ll play for the AHL Eagles, where he’ll make $80,000 — which is a raise from last year’s $67,500. This signing isn’t exactly a surprise since Cannata just backstopped the ECHL Eagles to a Kelly Cup championship.

Colorado also signed UFA Sheldon Dries, a center. The 24-year-old Dries completed four years of NCAA hockey at Western Michigan University before playing last season with the Texas Stars, the Dallas Stars’ AHL affiliate.

While Dries’ one-year contract carries an AAV of $925,000, his minor-league salary is $70,000. He did, however, receive a $92,500 signing bonus.

The Avalanche additionally signed UFA right wing Scott Kosmachuk to a one-year contract. The 24-year-old Kosmachuk was a third-round draft pick by the Winnipeg Jets. He concluded his entry-level contract at the end of 2016-17 with Winnipeg’s Manitoba Moose, though he did play eight games with the Jets.

After a season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate. While his AAV is $650,000, his minor-league salary is a very impressive $250,000 (if Cap Friendly is to be believed, and it’s always been accurate).

Equipment Managers

According to BSN Avalanche, the team has also been solidifying its support staff. Mark Miller is retiring as the team’s head equipment manager. They’ve promoted two men to take his place.

Cliff Halstead has been working with the team since 1995, when he started as a stick boy. He graduated to full time in the 2003-04 season. After a seven-year tenure as “stick boy” (he would have served the team from the ages of 13 to 20), he took over visiting dressing room duties in 2002 and eventually served as assistant equipment manager.

You’d think after more than half his life being spent in dressing rooms he’d be used to seeing naked chests, but captain Gabriel Landeskog still embarrassed Halstead with his (starting at 3:43):

Oh, Landy.

Anyway, co-head equipment manager is J.C. Ihrig. He’s coming to Colorado after serving as assistant equipment manager for the Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins. He was also the equipment manager of Team USA at the 2014 Olympic Games.

As of the time of writing, Landeskog had not embarrassed Ihrig. However, I’d like to add a side note that the Penguins have an insane amount of staff. They have at least three to four times the amount of coaching/training staff that the Avs have. They also have 2.5 times the amount of scouts. In case you’re wondering, the current Cup champions, the Washington Capitals’ operational staff looks similar to Pittsburgh’s.

And suddenly I have a new post idea.

Next: Avs Add 2 Useful Depth Pieces

Anyway, that’s an idea for another day. Suffice it to say, the Colorado Avalanche are solidifying their team and staff to hopefully improve on this year’s success.