Avalanche appear to be frontrunners in landing defenseman Nicolas Hague from divisional rival
Photo credit: ColoradoHockeyNow.com
A rising salary cap, the looming new CBA, increased pressure on smaller-market teams to contend, and a relatively weak free agent class all point to the trade market being especially active and impactful this summer.
The Colorado Avalanche would be wise to explore the possibility of acquiring pending restricted free agent Nicolas Hague from the Vegas Golden Knights who could address a key need on their blue line.
Colorado Avalanche appear to be frontrunners in landing defenseman Nicolas Hague in free agency.
Aarif Deen from Colorado Hockey Now writes that the 2017 second-round pick is a restricted free agent and is attracting interest from multiple teams across the league.
"Given the limited role he played, it's a little difficult to truly gauge where his ceiling is. Bringing him in to be a third pair left-shot defenseman (like Ryan Lindgren was) would be extremely valuable to the Avalanche." -Deen
At 26, Hague brings a physical edge to the game, even if he doesn't fully leverage his 6'6", 230lbs frame as often expected. Still, he's reliable presence on the penalty kill and could offer the kind of gritty, tough defensive style that the Avalanche could use to bolster their blue line.
Deen also writes that as of now, it's uncertain what kind of deal Hague is aiming for. His qualifying offer sits at $2.7 million, and he's earning just under $2.3 million annually over the past three seasons. However, it's likely he's seeking a pay raise, a longer-term commitment, and a more defined role, whether that's in Vegas or elsewhere.
"Is he worthy of second-line minutes? Perhaps. That's something the Avs' pro scouts might need to dig into. But it would also mean Colorado would have to move Samuel Girard and perhaps even bring in a new righty for Hague to play with. Unless the team is fine with Josh Manson being the more offensively gifted of the two on the second pair." -Deen
Hague is definitely an intriguing option and could be a very solid fit for Colorado, assuming the financials align. That said, the bigger priority for GM Chris MacFarland should be reshaping the bottom half of the defensive core. That could involve trading Manson or moving him down to the third pairing, and potentially dealing Girard to create cap flexibility and bring in a fresh look on the back end.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 4 | 26 ANSWERS Avalanche appear to be frontrunners in landing defenseman Nicolas Hague from divisional rival Do you think Nicolas Hague would be a good fit with the Colorado Avalanche? | ||
| yes | 18 | 69.2 % |
| no | 8 | 30.8 % |
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