Recent Development: Avalanche closing in on signing defenseman from divisional rival
Photo credit: AP Photo / Jeff Chiu
The Colorado Avalanche would be wise to explore the possibility of acquiring a restricted free agent defenseman who could address a key need on their blue line.
The Avalanche's looming cap crunch may force the front office to make some difficult decisions this offseason. One of those could include letting several pending unrestricted free agents walk in order to maximize the team's projected $8.7 million in cap space.
Avalanche closing in on signing defenseman from divisional rival.
Nestor Quixtan from Mile High Sticking writes that one team also facing a tight salary cap scenario is the Vegas Golden Knights. According to PuckPedia, Vegas has roughly $9.62 million in cap space, slightly more than Colorado, but still not enough to comfortably address all of their offseason needs.
"One of the prevailing rumors is that the Golden Knights are among Mitch Marner's preferred destinations. If so, the Golden Knights will need to clear a boatload of cap space to make Marner's contract work. That situation means sacrificing good players for the sake of cap space." -Quixtan
This ties into a report by insider David Pagnotta from The Fourth Period, who shared a series of rumors on May 30.
One rumor suggests that the Golden Knights are considering trading the rights to restricted free agent Nicolas Hague. The challenge for Vegas is that Hague's new contract is expected to demand significantly more that his $2.294 million cap hit from last season, likely making it difficult for the team to afford him.
The Avs have their top four defensemen set for the upcoming season. Cale Makar and Devon Toews are firmly established as the top pair, while Samuel Girard and Josh Manson appear secure as the middle pair.
"That leaves two job openings in the bottom pair. PuckPedia shows Keaton Middleton as the left D in the bottom pair with the right D open. That would be Sam Malinski's job once he signs this summer. I'm confident the two sides will get something done without much of a hitch." -Quixtan
However, there's less certainty about the rest of the Avalanche's defensive lineup. Manson has battled injuries, and with his contract expiring after next season, his future with the team remains uncertain. And where does Ryan Lindgren play into all of this?
"It seems to me that Hague could be a great replacement for Lindgren if he decides to bolt. Hague is a huge, physical presence that provides toughness that the Avalanche's current blue line does have." -Quixtan
Hague and Malinksi can definitely form a shutdown defensive duo. However, the decision to acquire Hague's rights will ultimately hinge on financial considerations. It's possible the Golden Knights might agree to take on the final year of Manson's contract, allowing the Avalanche to effectively use his cap space to cover Hague's salary.
Previously on Avalanche Insider
| POLL | ||
JUIN 2 | 27 ANSWERS Recent Development: Avalanche closing in on signing defenseman from divisional rival Do you see the Avalanche signing defenseman Nicolas Hague in free agency this summer? | ||
| yes | 13 | 48.1 % |
| no | 14 | 51.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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