With the offseason upon us, it’s time to look ahead to what next season’s roster and lineup could look like for the Colorado Avalanche.
Given the dynamics of the Avs being a Stanley Cup contender, the salary cap situation figures to be a little tight. That, and the calculus involving Cale Makar’s extension, will all play into decisions the organization will need to make this summer.
The good news is that the club will essentially roll back the same lineup as they did this postseason. However, some sacrifices will have to be made in order to keep the team humming along.
So, here’s a look at three Colorado Avalanche players who may not be back in 2026-27.
3 Colorado Avalanche players who might not be in the lineup next fall
Ross Colton
It seems like Ross Colton is the most evident player who’ll become a sacrifice offered to the salary cap gods. Colton, as great a player as he is, will make $4 million against the cap next season.
Considering that it’s the final year of his current deal, Colton seems like an ideal candidate to go. What the Avalanche actually get for him will be secondary. The main goal here will be to clear up cap space for other depth pieces that will need a new contract, including Joel Kiviranta.
So, it could come down to the Avs having to choose between Colton and Kiviranta. In the end, Colorado may choose the Finnish forward as he would re-sign at a much lower price point than Colton.
It’s worth pointing out that Colton may start the season in Colorado, but could become a trade chip when injuries begin to take their toll around the league.
Brent Burns
As much as Brent Burns was a great fit in Colorado this past season, you have to wonder if the veteran blueliner will want to come back for one more season. If he does, it’s hard to think the Avalanche wouldn’t want him back.
In that case, the Avs would re-sign Burns to another one-year, incentive-laden deal. If Burns opts to retire or even sign elsewhere, Avalanche fans won’t be seeing him.
Burns’ return to Colorado will ultimately depend on him. If he wants to play, it would be hard to envisage the Avalanche passing on one more year of the grizzled vet.
Nick Blankenburg
Nick Blankenburg was a solid pickup at the NHL trade deadline. He filled in a key blueline depth role, particularly when Cale Makar went down late in the season. The 28-year-old also played well enough in the postseason, though he was a healthy scratch for much of the Western Conference Final.
That said, the Avalanche will most likely push to re-sign another trade deadline acquisition, Brett Kulak. The situation will come down to choosing between Kulak and Blankenburg.
There might be a scenario, nonetheless, in which the Avalanche keep both Kulak and Blankenburg. Assuming that Brent Burns does not return, the Avalanche could use Burns’ cap hit to re-sign Blankenburg.
Otherwise, the Avs may have to draw on their internal depth to round out the seventh defenseman role next season.
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