Are the Avalanche about to make a franchise-altering mistake this offseason?
Photo credit: Denver Sports
Following general manager Chris MacFarland's decision to extend center Brock Nelson for three more years, attention now shifts to the rest of the Avalanche roster.
Complicating the Avalanche's offseason plans is the recent revelation that veteran Jonathan Toews, who last played in the NHL in 2023 with the Chicago Blackhawks, is aiming for a comeback in the 2025-26 season, according to his agent.
Avalanche are about to make a franchise-altering mistake this offseason.
Marko Zlomislic from The Hockey Writers reports that although Toews' career achievements and stats are undeniably impressive, it's important to note that the majority of those accolades date back more than a decade.
"The Blackhawks have failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs since the 2015 Stanley Cup win, and are currently in the midst of a five-year playoff drought. Fairly or not, the last meaningful sample of games we have of Toews is his 2022-23 campaign with the rebuilding Blackhawks, at which point he'd already been struggling with chronic illnesses for almost three full seasons." -Zlomislic
Even with that context, Toews' on-ice performance during his last most recent season leaves much to be desired and should serve as a warning sign for any general manager considering a signing based solely on his past achievements and leadership qualities.
"He finished with a respectable 15 goals and 31 points in 53 games, but that was the second consecutive season in which he failed to eclipse 40 points. Over two years have passed since then, so his journey of healing aside, the passage of time is a significant factor in any contract discussions." -Zlomislic
The Avalanche already boast a deep group down the middle with Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, and Jack Drury, which makes it challenging to find a realistic fit for Toews without first making additional roster moves or trades.
"A professional tryout agreement (PTO) could act as a compromise between Toews and the Avalanche, which takes risk out of the equation for Colorado while giving him a chance to showcase his current abilities to any interested parties." -Zlomislic
While Toews is no longer the dominant force he was during his prime in Chicago, his leadership and experience will likely attract interest from several Stanley Cup contenders. If the price is right, the Avalanche would be wise to seriously weigh the potential value he could bring to their roster.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 17 | 23 ANSWERS Are the Avalanche about to make a franchise-altering mistake this offseason? Do you think the Avalanche would be making a huge mistake in signing Jonathan Toews this offseason? | ||
| yes | 10 | 43.5 % |
| no | 13 | 56.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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