Aaron Musick: An idea on the Avs' offseason straegy

I have a feeling we wont have any significant changes this offseason, basically will be a reroll of the dice with the same team as last year.
I can see them low balling Jones and Obrien Letting McClement and McLeod walk since they still have Kobasew signed.

I could see the avs waiting to see if the Amnesty clause in the new CBA has legs and snatching up someone then, or just waiting until a year or 2 from now.

I also would be surprised if the avs let Jaymac walk, he was huge for our PK and was a good leader for this team

I could see the avs waiting to see if the Amnesty clause in the new CBA has legs and snatching up someone then, or just waiting until a year or 2 from now.

I also would be surprised if the avs let Jaymac walk, he was huge for our PK and was a good leader for this team
- Meeqsb

The Amnesty pool of talent is an interesting thought. Do guys like Campbell get bought out even thought they are decent players just with bad contracts? The Bad on Bad like Gomez are no brainers for that list. Do you take a look at Leino for example if he gets back on the market.

This would be my dream for next season:

http://capgeek.com/cap-ca...ulator/roster.php?id=3438

Doubt it will happen though

The question with the amnesty thing will be though, does the club get exclusive rights for a bit after to discuss a new contract. Like lets say the Avs use it on Stastny, maybe they could just re-sign him at around 4.5-5 and save us some cap space.

I could see the avs waiting to see if the Amnesty clause in the new CBA has legs and snatching up someone then, or just waiting until a year or 2 from now.

I also would be surprised if the avs let Jaymac walk, he was huge for our PK and was a good leader for this team
- Meeqsb

Letting mcclement walk would be a really bad idea. He's such a good pker and leader.

I don't watch many Avalanche games but this team has a bright future

I know getting a ton of FA's would make the avs a better team, but tying up our cap space now would hurt our ability to win the cup in the future

The question with the amnesty thing will be though, does the club get exclusive rights for a bit after to discuss a new contract. Like lets say the Avs use it on Stastny, maybe they could just re-sign him at around 4.5-5 and save us some cap space.
- colavsnum1fan

It's more likely the opposite. A club who takes the amnesty clause probably won't be allowed to re-sign the player. It's not voiding the contract entirely... the team still has to pay the player. It's just removing his salary from the salary cap, and making him a UFA. Bigger budget teams like getting out of a mistake they made. The only reason lower budget teams like it and would agree to it is because, if Colorado were to buyout Statsny, he would still have an income of 6.6 million a year, giving a team like the Blues a chance to sign him for 2 million a year.

It's more likely the opposite. A club who takes the amnesty clause probably won't be allowed to re-sign the player. It's not voiding the contract entirely... the team still has to pay the player. It's just removing his salary from the salary cap, and making him a UFA. Bigger budget teams like getting out of a mistake they made. The only reason lower budget teams like it and would agree to it is because, if Colorado were to buyout Statsny, he would still have an income of 6.6 million a year, giving a team like the Blues a chance to sign him for 2 million a year.
- Antilles

Amnesty could be a way of balancing the league a little and dispersing offensive talent throughout the NHL. That's my hope anyway.

Amnesty could be a way of balancing the league a little and dispersing offensive talent throughout the NHL. That's my hope anyway.
- martok2309

I agree it would be nice, but I think amnesty would only do that if coupled with some other stuff. For instance: make any non-ELC contract with a cap hit over 2 million count against the cap no matter what (no burying players in the minors), and the biggest thing: have the cap hit every year of a contract be the average of it's 3 highest years. The best way to long-term parity would be closing the loopholes and making a team's cap hit reflect what they are paying. And for the short term, that would radically change the players teams exercised amnesty on. Would the Devils keep Kovalchuk with a 11.5 million cap hit? Would the Sabres keep Erhoff with one over 7 million? The Blackhawks Hossa with an 8 million hit? Now, and in the future, more players would hit free agency due to teams having to worry about the cap, and it would be a lot harder for the talent rich to get richer in free agency if it wasn't so easy to sidestep the cap.

It's more likely the opposite. A club who takes the amnesty clause probably won't be allowed to re-sign the player. It's not voiding the contract entirely... the team still has to pay the player. It's just removing his salary from the salary cap, and making him a UFA. Bigger budget teams like getting out of a mistake they made. The only reason lower budget teams like it and would agree to it is because, if Colorado were to buyout Statsny, he would still have an income of 6.6 million a year, giving a team like the Blues a chance to sign him for 2 million a year.
- Antilles

Hes coming to toronto, thanks

This would be my dream for next season:

http://capgeek.com/cap-ca...ulator/roster.php?id=3438

Doubt it will happen though

The question with the amnesty thing will be though, does the club get exclusive rights for a bit after to discuss a new contract. Like lets say the Avs use it on Stastny, maybe they could just re-sign him at around 4.5-5 and save us some cap space.
- colavsnum1fan

I think there are two keys to making that happen, (Parise/Suter)

The first is that NJ will not be able to give Parise market value. Which looks likely..

The second will be trading for his rights. I don't think there is any question we could convince him or any other UFA we are a team on the rise just like Chicago was able to do when they picked up Hossa.

It will depend on how bad management wants Parise. If they want him bad enough to trade for his rights. I think they can make it happen by over paying a bit there. The key to getting both would be locking down at least one of them. Not because their friends but because the team would be openly showing that their willing to spend money to improve the team. Which is one reason both players would be leaving their clubs. Adding that much talent to the roster would not hurt your sales pitch either.

Also I think if Hejduk does return guns blazing he would be with Duchene for a veteran presence on that line. Mueller could use the leadership value that playing on a line with Stastny & Parise could bring as well. There is no doubt he has the talent to be there.

w/ Hejduk playing well

Mueller - Stastny - Parise

McGinn - Duchene - Hejduk

Landeskog - O'Reilly - Downie

It gets a little more murky if Hejduk isn't bringing a top 6 caliber game..

Edit : Mueller will get 2.2M because that's what it would require to qualify his RFA rights. I doubt Olver pulls 1.5M he showed some good things but all in all is still largely unproven. McClemment will get closer to 2M IMO..

I also think they will qualify Wilson at around 1.5M if for nothing more than a trade asset.

An interesting fact about Wilson is that he ranks 22nd among defenders in takeaways(Regular season). Also in less games played (59) while actually having a positive takeaway vs giveaway ratio. There actually is not as many defenders who have positive stats there even some of the best guys like Kieth don't have that. EJ also ranked 16th in takeaways. Just thought that was interesting.

I know getting a ton of FA's would make the avs a better team, but tying up our cap space now would hurt our ability to win the cup in the future
- Meeqsb

I don't want to be like Buffalo I want to be like NY.

Buffalo - Ehrhoff, Boyes, Leino (12.5M)

NY - Gaborik & Richards (14M)

One cost more but is money well spent, the other cost marginally less but is money down the toilet.

I don't want to be like Buffalo I want to be like NY.

Buffalo - Ehrhoff, Boyes, Leino (12.5M)

NY - Gaborik & Richards (14M)

One cost more but is money well spent, the other cost marginally less but is money down the toilet.
- Steve-B

NY is winning because of Lundquist and their crazy D. Also I might even go so far as to say I think Kreider has been their best offensive player as of late. I know richards and gabby have been playing well, however they are not the reason NYR is doing so well.

Also did you know the Rags got McDonagh in the trade for Gomez

If history has told me anything though, its that in UFA the best deals are the small under the raydar ones and that the biggest signings usually come around to haunt the team that did it.

It is farfetched. Mostly because Luo is going to Tampa Bay.

NY is winning because of Lundquist and their crazy D. Also I might even go so far as to say I think Kreider has been their best offensive player as of late. I know richards and gabby have been playing well, however they are not the reason NYR is doing so well.

Also did you know the Rags got McDonagh in the trade for Gomez

If history has told me anything though, its that in UFA the best deals are the small under the raydar ones and that the biggest signings usually come around to haunt the team that did it.
- Meeqsb

I don't know I think Kovalchuk, Richards, Gaborik & Hossa are all big free-agent signings that have done well for their teams. Richards has done well in the earlier rounds and contributes more to NY's game than just his points. Kind of like Parise even though he hasn't exactly lit it up so far in the playoffs. I think it's teams that over pay the secondary guys in free-agency that end up regretting it.

I hope McGinn ends up being a steal like McDonagh was. Obviously not much compares when you use Gomez's name but similar idea. Especially if Sgrabossa becomes a regular NHLer while Galiardi is getting scratched.



TSN : OFF-SEASON GAME PLAN: COLORADO AVALANCHE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=396466

The writer does not take into account Jay McClemment for whatever reason. Hell no on Mikael Samuelsson & Needing "Another" defenseman. Beyond that I agree with what they say we need. Unfortunately after Parise & Semin there really isn't any forwards to get excited about in this years free-agent class.

Spoiler :

"FREE AGENCY
According to www.capgeek.com, the Avalanche have approximately $21.5M committed to the 2012-2013 salary cap for 8 players. Check out my potential 2012-2013 Avalanche roster on Cap Geek here.

Needs: Two top nine forwards Parise, Semin, Trade, one top pair defenceman Suter, Carle, UFA, another defenceman.

What I said the Avalanche needed last year: Two-three top nine forwards, one top four defenceman, starting goaltender.

They added: Gabriel Landeskog, Joakim Lindstrom, Chuck Kobasew, Jan Hejda, Semyon Varlamov, Sean-Sebastien Giguere.

TRADE MARKET Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Peter Mueller, Ryan Wilson, prospects."

-TSN

I don't think there is any question we could convince him or any other UFA we are a team on the rise just like Chicago was able to do when they picked up Hossa.
- Steve-B

Chicago was a team that was 4th seed in the playoffs and went to the Western Conference Finals the year before signing Hossa. Colorado was 7 points out of the playoffs this year. Chicago didn't sell Hossa on them being a young team on the rise, they sold him on being one piece away from being a cup contender AND having a young team so their window to compete for it was just opening. Pretty massive difference there, I don't think the situations are comparable.
Plus... it's probably a third of the league that will be saying the exact same "we're young and on the rise" stuff, and all with legitimate reasons to think so.

I'd have to say that we would have to bring back wilson and jones , if any thing we can hope that they play well and we would be able to use them as trade bait at some point and time since we have lots of young d coming up in the next few years . Jones if you were to look at our lineup right now predicting we didn't have any significant signings we would need him ...

mueller--duchene--- hejduk??? / lando

mcginn--stas---jones

lando/ hejduk--radar---downie


I think having lando on a line with duchene and mueller would be brilliant !! Having lando getting to all the dirty spots and magically coming out with puck like he so often does then hitting a open muells or dutchy , aha ya sounds pretty good ...As for hejduk i dont think he gets a spot on the top lines , will be seeing him playing 3rd /4th line minutes this year.. Hopefully im wrong and we end up having a selanne 2.0 and he comes back with some jump and that shot that seemed to be hiding most of last year ..

I don't know I think Kovalchuk, Richards, Gaborik & Hossa are all big free-agent signings that have done well for their teams. Richards has done well in the earlier rounds and contributes more to NY's game than just his points. Kind of like Parise even though he hasn't exactly lit it up so far in the playoffs. I think it's teams that over pay the secondary guys in free-agency that end up regretting it.

I hope McGinn ends up being a steal like McDonagh was. Obviously not much compares when you use Gomez's name but similar idea. Especially if Sgrabossa becomes a regular NHLer while Galiardi is getting scratched.



TSN : OFF-SEASON GAME PLAN: COLORADO AVALANCHE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=396466

The writer does not take into account Jay McClemment for whatever reason. Hell no on Mikael Samuelsson & Needing "Another" defenseman. Beyond that I agree with what they say we need. Unfortunately after Parise & Semin there really isn't any forwards to get excited about in this years free-agent class.

Spoiler :

"FREE AGENCY
According to www.capgeek.com, the Avalanche have approximately $21.5M committed to the 2012-2013 salary cap for 8 players. Check out my potential 2012-2013 Avalanche roster on Cap Geek here.

Needs: Two top nine forwards Parise, Semin, Trade, one top pair defenceman Suter, Carle, UFA, another defenceman.

What I said the Avalanche needed last year: Two-three top nine forwards, one top four defenceman, starting goaltender.

They added: Gabriel Landeskog, Joakim Lindstrom, Chuck Kobasew, Jan Hejda, Semyon Varlamov, Sean-Sebastien Giguere.

TRADE MARKET Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Peter Mueller, Ryan Wilson, prospects."

-TSN
- Steve-B

Sure Kovalchuk, Richards, Gaborik & Hossa contracts are good now, but what about when they get paid bank and are old as dirt (not to mention NJ lost their 1st round pick this year with the Kovi deal)

I know TSN is respected by many but outside of just massive coverage of Canadian teams, I don't really care for most of their columns.

Sure Kovalchuk, Richards, Gaborik & Hossa contracts are good now, but what about when they get paid bank and are old as dirt (not to mention NJ lost their 1st round pick this year with the Kovi deal)

I know TSN is respected by many but outside of just massive coverage of Canadian teams, I don't really care for most of their columns.
- Meeqsb

I didn't see to many major mistakes in this one and it seems on par with what we need. You have to admit he comes damn close when it comes to teams needs and what they acquire usually.

The Avs are "this close" to being a great team for years.

The payroll/cap space may be the best asset if the cap goes down, Colorado will likely be the first team other GMs will call on.

If Parise signs in Denver, they add some depth on D...lookout.

Chicago was a team that was 4th seed in the playoffs and went to the Western Conference Finals the year before signing Hossa. Colorado was 7 points out of the playoffs this year. Chicago didn't sell Hossa on them being a young team on the rise, they sold him on being one piece away from being a cup contender AND having a young team so their window to compete for it was just opening. Pretty massive difference there, I don't think the situations are comparable.
Plus... it's probably a third of the league that will be saying the exact same "we're young and on the rise" stuff, and all with legitimate reasons to think so.
- Antilles

Are you taking it out on us because we didn't tell you guys how bad Elliott was?

I don't know I think Kovalchuk, Richards, Gaborik & Hossa are all big free-agent signings that have done well for their teams. Richards has done well in the earlier rounds and contributes more to NY's game than just his points. Kind of like Parise even though he hasn't exactly lit it up so far in the playoffs. I think it's teams that over pay the secondary guys in free-agency that end up regretting it.

I hope McGinn ends up being a steal like McDonagh was. Obviously not much compares when you use Gomez's name but similar idea. Especially if Sgrabossa becomes a regular NHLer while Galiardi is getting scratched.



TSN : OFF-SEASON GAME PLAN: COLORADO AVALANCHE
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=396466

The writer does not take into account Jay McClemment for whatever reason. Hell no on Mikael Samuelsson & Needing "Another" defenseman. Beyond that I agree with what they say we need. Unfortunately after Parise & Semin there really isn't any forwards to get excited about in this years free-agent class.

Spoiler :

"FREE AGENCY
According to www.capgeek.com, the Avalanche have approximately $21.5M committed to the 2012-2013 salary cap for 8 players. Check out my potential 2012-2013 Avalanche roster on Cap Geek here.

Needs: Two top nine forwards Parise, Semin, Trade, one top pair defenceman Suter, Carle, UFA, another defenceman.

What I said the Avalanche needed last year: Two-three top nine forwards, one top four defenceman, starting goaltender.

They added: Gabriel Landeskog, Joakim Lindstrom, Chuck Kobasew, Jan Hejda, Semyon Varlamov, Sean-Sebastien Giguere.

TRADE MARKET Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene, Peter Mueller, Ryan Wilson, prospects."

-TSN
- Steve-B

I'm curious what he meant by "forward depth" when we need "two top nine forwards."

Are you taking it out on us because we didn't tell you guys how bad Elliott was?
- Dissent

Actually, I was just trying to offer perspective, that a third of the league's teams think they can convince the exact same couple people to sign with them, and all for the exact same reason.

But fyi: no one on the Blues is mad about getting an all-star goalie for a near league minimum contract because he only got us to the second round of the playoffs when the starter went down. In fact, consider his far cheaper salary, cheaper cost to obtain, superior GAA, superior save %, and over twice as many shut outs in fewer games played; the Av's should probably be embarrassed to compare Elliott to Varlamov.