Sources say Avalanche on the brink of blockbuster trade for Stanley Cup hero
Photo credit: AP Photo / Michael Dwyer
Rumours have been circulating around two-time Stanley Cup Champion Evan Rodrigues and a possible reunion with the Colorado Avalanche via trade.
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are currently over the salary cap. Could this be a perfect opportunity for the Avalanche to step in and grab a valuable depth forward?
Avalanche still showing strong interest in Rodrigues.
Aaron Poorman from Mile High Sticking writes that the Avalanche find themselves in a rare situation, for the first time in years, they have some breathing room under the salary cap. With the draft and the early chaos of free agency now behind them, all that's left is for fans to wait and wonder what moves the team might make next.
"Surely prying Evan Rodrigues away from the Cats isn't as devastating as the Avalanche seeing Nazem Kadri depart. Still, his impact for the Avalanche would have sneaky good value. Rodrigues, after all, was good enough in his prior season with Colorado to earn his deal in Florida. In 2022-23, Rodrigues tallied 39 total points with 16 goals and 23 assists in just 69 games for the Avalanche." -Poorman
From a financial perspective, the logic is hard to ignore for Florida. Sitting $2.95 million above the salary cap, the team could instantly alleviate that pressure by moving Rodrigues, who carries a $3 million cap hit in each of the next two seasons. It's a straightforward solution to their cap dilemma.
"The Avalanche didn't have the space to extend Rodrigues two offseaons ago, but now they do. What's more is that the club has some holes in the forward group. The team is looking to replace the production of Jonathan Drouin, who left for the Islanders. I think Rodrigues would go a long way in doing just that." -Poorman
Rodrigues is a versatile two-way forward who brings more grit than Avalanche fans might recall. Over the past two seasons with the Panthers, he hasn't simply cruised through back-to-back Stanley Cup wins; he's demonstrated a readiness to play a tougher, more physical game. In fact, Rodrigues set career highs in hits in both seasons, registering 104 and 128 hits respectively.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 9 | 26 ANSWERS Sources say Avalanche on the brink of blockbuster trade for Stanley Cup hero Should the Avalanche prioritize signing former star Evan Rodrigues this offseason? | ||
| yes | 12 | 46.2 % |
| no | 14 | 53.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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