Notes on six Colorado Avalanche pending UFAs
Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette: The Colorado Avalanche have a $8.7 million in projected salary cap space for next season with 18 players under contract. They have six pending UFAs, all won’t be back, and some won’t come cheap.
Brock Nelson – The Avs gave up their top prospect in Calum Ritchie to get him, and it’s a weak center free agent class. He’ll be a priority but does he want to stay? He may want to play in his hometown of Minnesota. He turned down $7.5 million per for three years from the Islanders.
Jonathan Drouin – Another injury-riddled season for Drouin, and he could be back if he’d take a cheap, short-term deal.
Ryan Lindgren – If he’s looking for his current $4.5 million, it will likely be too much for the Avs.
Joel Kiviranta – Potted 16 goals, but shooting 19% up from his career average of 8%. Overpaying for a depth player is never good.
Jimmy Vesey – Didn’t play in the playoffs, but he could be a good, cheap, depth option.
Erik Johnson – Will he want to play another season? It would cost around the league minimum if he wants to play.
The Edmonton Oilers will have a lot of questions to answer and decisions to make this offseason
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal: Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman will have some big decisions to make this offseason.
Forward Viktor Arvidsson has a year left on his contract, a no-movement clause, and wasn’t as productive as you’d hope beside Leon Draisaitl.
Corey Perry will be 40 when next season starts. Will he want to play another year, and will the Oilers want to bring him back?
Will the Oilers want to bring Connor Brown and Trent Frederic back? Should Matt Savoie and Noah Philp be on their opening day roster?
What would it cost to bring defenseman John Klingberg back, and will he be able to stay healthy long-term?
Defenseman Evan Bouchard is a pending UFA and will require a nice raise.
What to do with their goaltending – Calvin Pickard, Stuart Skinner, or someone else?
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