The Colorado Avalanche surprised fans and observers by signing Brent Burns to a one-year, incentive-laden deal this week.
Adding Burns was a solid move toward shoring up the Avalanche’s blue line depth. The club added a former Norris Trophy winner who can still play at a high level even after 40.
But beyond the evident need for more blue liners on the club, signing Brent Burns shook up the Colorado Avalanche’s depth chart.
So, here’s a look at the Colorado Avalanche’s blue line depth chart following Brent Burns’ signing,
Colorado Avalanche depth chart following Brent Burns’ signing
Top pair
There’s not much surprise when it comes to the Colorado Avalanche’s top pair. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar leads the blue line core alongside Devon Toews.
This pairing is arguably the best in the NHL at the moment. Makar is the best two-way defenseman in the game. If he did nothing other than score, the Avalanche would still have one of the best blue liners in the game.
But Makar’s solid defensive play and elite offensive game make this the most feared blue-line threat in the league today.
As for Toews, well, he’s the ideal complement to Makar’s dual threat. He’s a steady defenseman who can also chip in offensively. He’s got a varied skill set that makes him a legit top-pairing D-man.
Middle pair
The middle pair consists of Josh Manson and Samuel Girard. This pairing could change, but that doesn’t seem quite likely. As long as both blue liners remain healthy, there shouldn’t be any major changes.
But that’s something that could change.
Manson has battled injuries over the last couple of seasons. In 2022-23, he was limited to 27 games. He bounced back to play 76 in 2023-24, but saw action in only 48 this past season. The 33-year-old is entering the final year of his current contract and could be playing for one more contract this year. If he has a solid season, he could be in line for one last multi-year deal.
As for Girard, he had a good bounce-back year this past season. He played in 73 games after appearing in just 59 the year before. His offensive numbers didn’t quite rebound as compared to other years, but were solid enough.
Manson and Girard will be a question mark this upcoming season. They don’t project as a shutdown pair in the strictest sense of the word. But as long as they play well defensively, the Avalanche won’t mind.
Bottom pair
As it stands, the bottom pair is set up to be Sam Malinski and Brent Burns. Malinski emerged as a highly serviceable blue liner this past season. He’s solid if unspectacular. He doesn’t make silly plays, gets the puck out of the zone, and can skate when needed.
Burns, in contrast, is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman. Even at his age, Burns can move the puck with the best of them. He’s not overly physical despite his size, but can handle himself when needed.
Depending on how Burns starts the season, he could make a case for the middle pair. I would see Burns pushing Manson down the depth chart. If injuries play a role like they did last season, fans could see Burns take on a predominant role on the team.
The seventh defenseman slot goes to Keaton Middleton at the moment. He’s the only other defenseman under contract. Erik Johnson is a UFA and would be a nice depth addition. The Avs still have over $4 million in cap space. So, there’s room to add Johnson.
Keep an eye on Ronald Attard. He was a free-agent signing and could be in the mix for a depth role this season. He likely starts the season with the Colorado Eagles, but could be one of the first callups in case of injuries.