Just when fans thought the Colorado Avalanche would have a quiet first day of free agency, Joe Sakic proved he had a couple of tricks up his sleeve.
The biggest move of the day was the signing of Jaden Schwartz. The former Seattle Kraken inked a three-year deal with the Avalanche worth $9.75 million. Signing the 34-year-old was a bit of a surprise as the Avs are already pretty deep up front.
Still, you can’t have too much depth, and this signing proves that. Schwartz will likely take on a middle-six role in Colorado, adding another crucial layer of security to the club.
The Avs also rounded out their roster by signing defenseman Noah Juulsen to a two-year deal worth $2.2 million. It might seem a bit pricey to sign a seventh defenseman to a deal over $1 million, but then again, injuries are always an issue throughout the season. Again, you can’t have too much depth, especially on the blueline.
Colorado also made waves with various minor transactions, mostly likely aimed at giving the Colorado Eagles some additional reinforcements:
- Defenseman Jack Ahcan signed a two-year, $1.75 million deal.
- Forward Adam Beckman also inked a two-year, $1.75 million contract. Beckman has all of 23 games of NHL experience under his belt. The 25-year-old was a third-round pick in 2019 and played 68 games with the Bridgeport Islanders last season.
- Defenseman Domenick Fensore signed a one-year $850K deal. The former third-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes played just one NHL game last season. He played in 60 AHL contests with the Chicago Wolves, scoring 10 goals and 35 points.
- Forward Vinnie Hinostroza signed a two-year, $1.75 million deal. The 32-year-old veteran split time between the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers last season. He scored six goals and 18 points in 65 games. Hinostroza might have a chance to make the team next season, though it’s most likely he’s earmarked for the Eagles.
Overall, the swath of moves the Avalanche made on Wednesday was focused on depth. The only remaining UFA from last season is Nick Blankenburg. However, the signings on Wednesday and the fact that the Avalanche now have $404K in cap space likely mean that he won’t be coming back next season.
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