Who will replace the departed players in 2025?
We still have to wait until July 1 for free agency to officially open. By then, we will have some more clarity on who will be a part of the team for the 2025-26 season (or until the trade deadline at the very latest). The Avalanche took care of one of the players, Brock Nelson, signing him to a three-year contract. However, there are more questions to answer.
The big names on the Avalanche who are scheduled to be free agents are Jonathan Drouin, and Joel Kiviranta. Personally, I feel like Drouin is the only one of those three who will leave. I don’t think that’s the right move for him, but he’ll do what he feels is best for him.
Charlie Coyle has a $5.25 million cap hit on his contract, While Coyle did have 11 assists with two goals for the Avalanche after being traded from Boston, where he had 15 goals and seven assists in 64 games, I feel like the Avalanche could move on from his cap hit with a younger player. The Avalanche are going to sign some different players this offseason, and there’s no way I think that Coyle stays. He’s 33 years old and nearing the end of his career. If he had a bigger role, I’d likely think differently. That’s not the case.
I feel like the Avalanche should try and trade Coyle.
Kiviranta had a career year last season. I’m really looking forward to seeing him continue to grow. I don’t think that he’ll cost a whole lot as he’s only had one phenomenal year (in the standards of his role). I would re-sign him to a cheap contract for several years, and if he puts up more huge seasons, he would be considered for an extension with a bigger AAV.
Maybe all of these free agent moves are tougher in the eyes of the front office. It’s possible they have different views than I do of these pending free agents. I said what I’d do. Let’s see what they have up their sleeve.