Did the Avalanche blow their offseason? Latest report reveals the harsh truth
Photo credit: RJ Sangosti / The Denver Post
After a very quiet free agency for GM Chris MacFarland, the Colorado Avalanche were given one of the lowest offseason grades by ESPN.
The franchise is navigating one of its most crucial offseasons in recent history, with MacFarland charged with building a championship-caliber team capable of leading the Avalanche back to Stanley Cup glory.
Avalanche receive some very discouraging news.
Trent Finnegan from Denver Sports writes that following a hectic trade deadline where MacFarland and the front office moved star forward Mikko Rantanen earlier than expected and sacrificed numerous assets for immediate impact players, the Avalanche's season ended with a first-round playoff exit, marked by a heartbreaking blown two-goal lead in the third period of Game 7.
"While the matchup against the Dallas Stars being in the first round was ridiculous, the burgundy and blue were going to have to take down their division rivals at some point, and failed to do so in a fashion that was unfathomable for most Avalanche fans." -Finnegan
That led the front office back to the drawing board, kicking things off by parting ways with special teams coach Ray Bennett. When free agency began, the Avalanche made a splash by signing veteran defenseman Brent Burns to a one-year contract.
However, they also saw the departures of Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood, Ryan Lindgren, and Jonathan Drouin. Coyle, Wood, and Lindgren were moved largely due to their hefty contracts, while Drouin's stint in Colorado had clearly run its course after a tough playoff showing and ongoing injury concerns.
"As a result, the Avalanche received a C grade for their offseason efforts, courtesy of ESPN. With just over $4.1 million in cap space remaining for the upcoming season, the front office has some room to work with to make some final, small additions to the roster, but don't have much room to make one more big splash. Realistically, the team needs one more solid left winger on the third line to pair alongside Ross Colton and Logan O'Connor when he recovers from his hip surgery, and another one for the fourth line." -Finnegan
Only two teams received worse marks: the Washington Capitals with a C- and the Columbus Blue Jackets with a D+. The Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks, and Buffalo Sabres were also handed C grades, placing them in the same tier as the Avalanche.
"There are still a few decent names on the free agent market for the Avalanche to target, one being 25-year-old winger Nikolai Kovalenko, who Colorado originally drafted before trading him to San Jose along with Alexander Georgiev in return for Mackenzie Blackwood. He is a name who has some raw talent and is familiar with the Avs' system, and would be a reasonable signing for more bottom-six depth at a low price tag." -Finnegan
The Avalanche still have work to do this offseason, and they've managed to carve out some cap space to make it happen. The question now is whether Chris MacFarland will capitalize on the opportunity with a smart addition, or make another move that fails to move the needle when the games matter most in April.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 9 | 20 ANSWERS Did the Avalanche blow their offseason? Latest report reveals the harsh truth Would you agree with ESPN's offseason grade for the Colorado Avalanche? | ||
| yes | 9 | 45 % |
| no | 11 | 55 % |
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