It’s getting to be that time of the season in which teams will be whittling down their training camp rosters ahead of the beginning of the season. And the Colorado Avalanche are no exception.
The club currently has 32 players on the roster, needing to clear nine names off the board in order to get down to the 23-man roster needed for the start of the season.
While the names most likely to hit the waiver wire seem perfectly reasonable, other potential names are not so much.
According to PuckPedia, players like Parker Kelly and Logan O’Connor could be waiver candidates. That’s silly. But the one name that’s flat-out insane is Brent Burns.
Why on Earth would PuckPedia even consider Brent Burns as a candidate to hit waivers? Is there someone who knows something none of us do?
Names like Zachary L’Heureux and Noah Juulsen, as unlikely as they are, make a little more sense. But Burns? Forget about it.
If the Avalanche had even thought about the possibility of sending Burns down to the Colorado Eagles, they wouldn’t have even signed him this summer.
Burns did the Avalanche a solid by signing for league-minimum, while taking an incentive-laden deal just for a chance to win a Stanley Cup. That’s why the idea of cutting Burns at this point is completely off the rails.
Let’s hope that someone at PuckPedia talks sense into the folks making these projections.
Avalanche will have to make some tough choices
What is undeniable is that the Avalanche will have to make some tough choices before the season begins.
Of the likeliest candidates to hit the waiver wire, the only name that might not clear is Fabian Lysell. We’ve talked about how much he could impact the Avalanche this season, potentially earning a spot with the team.
And if the Avalanche feel he’s good enough to earn a spot, that could squeeze someone like L’Heureux out of the picture.
Another tough choice could be defenseman Domenick Fensore. He’s looked good enough to earn a role as a seventh or eighth defenseman. And considering he’s got an $850K cap hit, he’s certainly an enticing option for teams looking to get some extra depth on the blueline.
Be that as it may, the next couple of days will be important, as the final roster spots remain up for grabs.
But if there’s one thing certain, it's that Brent Burns will not be hitting the waiver wire. That’s something Avalanche fans can take to the bank.
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