Avalanche GM still on hot seat as roster fix demands continue to skyrocket in free agency
Photo credit: NHL Trade Talks
As free agency approaches, no team in the NHL is under more pressure than the Colorado Avalanche.
With some salary cap flexibility at their disposal, the Avalanche need to nail this offseason if they hope to return to Stanley Cup contention.
Avalanche GM on the hot seat ahead of free agency.
Jacob Punturi from Breakaway On Si writes that the Western Conference is wide open at the moment. While the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers currently lead the pack, there's a growing list of contenders ready to challenge for the top spot.
"There are a few holes in the Colorado lineup that must be filled. The biggest is adding to their top-nine forward group. They shipped out Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, giving them salary cap flexibility but also depriving them of two strong additions on their third and fourth lines." -Punturi
Top-six forward Jonathan Drouin is also expected to explore free agency. With roughly $9 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, the Avalanche will need to be smart and selective as they work to address key roster gaps.
"The free agent class has some options the Avs could target. Middle-six wingers like Andrei Kuzmenko, Andrew Mangiapane, Robby Fabbri, and Christian Dvorak are just a few names that Colorado could target and sign for reasonable salary cap hits." -Punturi
All of this must be accomplished while preserving their status as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. With Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews forming the foundation of the roster, the Avalanche need to build a stronger supporting cast around them to make a serious push in 2026.
That's exactly why Colorado enters free agency under more pressure than any other team in the league.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 2 | 23 ANSWERS Avalanche GM still on hot seat as roster fix demands continue to skyrocket in free agency Do you think the Avalanche are going to have a very busy offseason? | ||
| yes | 12 | 52.2 % |
| no | 11 | 47.8 % |
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