The Colorado Avalanche ended their 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs run with a whimper. The club had been picked to be a serious contender in the Western Conference. But after a hard-fought opening-round series against the Dallas Stars, it was not meant to be this season.
Fast-forward to the offseason, and the Avalanche, like every other team in the league, will be looking at improvements to make in order to boost its chances to win the 2026 Stanley Cup.
Those improvements include dipping into the free agent market. That’s why it’s worth taking a look at these three free-agent signings the Colorado Avalanche can reach another level in 2025-26.
3 Colorado Avalanche free-agent targets to reach another level in 2025-26
Claude Giroux
Claude Giroux will be hitting the free agent market this summer looking for a shot to win a Stanley Cup for his first time in his career. That’s why he’ll be prioritizing a contender this offseason as he draws toward the end of the playing days.
That desire means the Colorado Avalanche could be a good landing spot for him. The team offers a chance to win, while a chance at playing a prominent role even as he reaches the age of 38.
I can see Giroux sliding into a middle-six role, especially if the club can’t re-sign Brock Nelson. While Giroux likely doesn’t play center, he could also cover for Jonathan Drouin if the Avalanche choose to pass on him this summer.
The biggest issue would be the dollar figures. Giroux is coming off a three-year deal with a $6.5 million AAV. He won’t get that contract this time around. But anything between $4 and $5 million AAV could be worth it for the Colorado Avalanche.
Brock Boeser
Brock Boeser is perhaps the best pure goal-scorer in this summer’s free-agent market. He’s one year removed from notching 40 goals in Vancouver, while still relatively young a 28. He’ll be looking for a multi-year deal probably taking him into this mid to late-30s.
If the Avalanche cannot re-sign Nelson or Drouin, the team would have enough cap space to make a run at Boeser.
Like Giroux, Boeser is coming off a three-year deal with a $6.65 million cap hit. While Boeser will be looking to get a raise, it’s somewhat uncertain he gets it. He’s likely going to land somewhere in the $8 million AAV.
That dollar figure could be a good move for the Colorado Avalanche as long as they can fill out other spots in the lineup.
But make no mistake. Putting Brock Boeser on a top line with Nathan MacKinnon could make for one of the deadliest combos in the NHL.
Sam Bennett
Sam Bennett has made himself quite the reputation as a playoff performer. Despite his relatively underwhelming regular-season numbers, Bennett has proven over the course of three playoff runs that he’s a gamer.
That being said, virtually every team in the league will be calling to see what it would take to land him the coveted free agent.
But here’s where things get a little dicey.
Bennett is 29 and is coming off a four-year contract with a $4.425 AAV. He’ll be getting a substantial pay raise as some estimates place Bennett in the $10 million AAV.
That may be too rich for the Avalanche’s blood given the tight cap space. But if the Avs could make the cap space and fail to re-sign other pending free agents, landing Sam Bennett wouldn’t be such a ludicrous thought.
If they do, the Avalanche get one of the league’s best playoff performers, while landing another solid leader in the clubhouse.