3 free agents the Colorado Avalanche should sign
With Free Agency eve upon us, teams are wheeling and dealing to make moves and better their rosters. Some players have re-signed, some have been non-tendered and some still wait to see where the chips may fall.
July 1st is usually a wild day across the NHL landscape, and this year will be no different. The Avalanche have an opportunity to be right in the mix, as they have several free agents currently without contracts.
They started off hot, re-signing 25-year-old second line Center Casey Mittelstadt to solidify that position that’s had some turbulence since Nazem Kadri last wore the burgundy and blue. They have not had much news to report since that, however, and Avalanche nation is curious to see what comes of this year’s free agency with the NHL draft now in the rearview mirror.
The Avalanche could improve their team at all levels, and signing these three players will help the team moving forward for next year and possibly beyond.
3.) Nikita Zadorov
Sean Walker is an available free agent as well, and provided quality play for the Avs when he was acquired at the deadline, but with the rough and tumble western conference being a buzzsaw to advance through, and the physicality of the playoffs taking its toll, the Avalanche need to add some tenacity and physical play to their back line.
Nikita Zadorov is the guy to provide that. He’s already stated he won’t be re-signing in Vancouver, and he’s got some familiarity with the Avalanche organization, having played five years for the franchise earlier in his career.
The 6’6”, 250lb Defenseman wasn’t nearly as polished as he is now, and he’s one of the few old school players left in the league. Zadorov’s also nearly four years younger than Josh Manson, the current blueliner expected to provide a physical punch, sometimes literally. Zadorov can provide this physical punch, and he has an innate ability to get under the other team’s skin, potentially giving the Avalanche an advantage in every game. The Avalanche no longer have an enforcer either, and Zadorov can fill aspects of that role.
Manson’s signed for two more seasons, but his name has been involved in some rumors this offseason already. The Avalanche would be better served to let the older player walk to sign a guy like Zadorov if he’s interested.
From a business perspective signing Zadorov makes sense too. He’s a polarizing figure and says what’s on his mind. He’ll bring eyes to the game and eyes directly to Colorado. The NHL is always looking to expand fans and showcasing a guy like Zadorov (within reason) is a way the NHL can sell more tickets.
2.) Jake DeBrusk
Jake DeBrusk is a player with high upside who the Avalanche should take a shot at signing. With the possibility that Jonathan Drouin leaves the team after one year, that loss will leave a void that must be rectified if the Avalanche expect to continue to win hockey games.
Insert DeBrusk, a player who has scored 16 or more goals every year he’s played 64 or more games in a season. He’s consistent and is still young at only 27 years of age. He plays the same position as Drouin, left wing, and can step in to play with a player like MacKinnon and transition seamlessly.
Jake DeBrusk comes from a highly respected organization with the Boston Bruins, and he’s a former first round pick, 14th overall in 2015. There aren’t many former first round picks available for another team to poach via free agency. He also comes from a hockey family as his father played in the NHL.
DeBrusk, similarly to Drouin, has some questions about him, but a change of scenery will do him good. The media in Boston is scrutinizing and that atmosphere is not for everyone. The feel around the team in Colorado is likely very different than in Boston, and the Avs have a player like Nathan MacKinnon who elevates teammates with his habits alone.
DeBrusk was on a bridge type contract in Boston and made only $4 million dollars per season over two years. It’s likely he’d want to make more than that and Chris MacFarland would have to fabricate a deal that would work for both sides. Being able to add a player like Jake DeBrusk would be extremely beneficial to the Avalanche’s quest for another Stanley Cup soon.
1.) Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
The Avalanche just drafted three goalies, one, with pick 38, that appears to be very promising and according to some, was the best goalie in the draft. They already have Alexandar Georgiev as their top netminder as well as Justus Annunen, who took over primary backup duties about halfway through the season.
Georgiev won a lot of games, but his play was shaky at best. He finished the season with a 3.02 goals against average and a .897 save percentage—neither good enough to be a bonafide top choice goaltender in the NHL on a regular basis. Annunen was better in limited action. He had a .928 save percentage across 14 games with a 2.25 goals against average.
The Avalanche have a decision to make in goal and signing a player like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would benefit the team. He’s a younger goalie, only 25, and is also Finnish, like Annunen. He’s also of similar stature to Annunen as a taller goalie. He comes from a team (Buffalo) that’s been a downtrodden franchise for years and likely would benefit from having a higher quality roster playing in front of him every night.
He had quality numbers this past season, his first season with extended playing time. Across 54 games (51 starts) he won 27 games and lost only 22. His save percentage was a serviceable .910 and he kept a 2.57 goals against average. If the Avalanche could have gotten serviceable play like that across the season, results may have been quite different.
Most importantly from Chris MacFarland’s perspective is the contract Luukkonen played under last season. He made less than one million dollars, $837,500 to be exact, and that would certainly fit into the Avalanche budget, especially if they believe in He. He is a restricted free agent, so MacFarland would have to be creative in offering him a deal Buffalo wouldn’t match, but if it solves the goalie problem for a few years until Nabokov is ready, then it’d be well worth the gray hairs MacFarland added.
manual