The Colorado Avalanche, who lost to the Dallas Stars in the second round of the NHL Playoffs 4-2, have started offseason discussions. The team has 14 players on the roster signed for next season, eight UFAs (unrestricted free agents) and one RFA (restricted free agent).
Some significant changes could come this offseason after the team’s loss to the Stars. But there are three players the team should hold onto. The salary cap for 2024-25 is set to increase, and the Avalanche already have almost $16 million to work with. Here are the three unrestricted free agents they need to re-sign this offseason.
Jonathan Drouin
Jonathan Drouin is the headliner among Avalanche UFAs, and because of how he elevated his game with Nathan MacKinnon while playing on his line during the regular season and the short time in the playoffs, it’s a no-brainer to bring him back.
He has expressed how much he loves the team and wants to return, while head coach Jared Bednar stated, “I hope so. Yeah, I mean, that’ll be up to him, his agent (and) management. He’s well-liked in our locker room. Certainly like his ability, and his talent and the way he played for us this year. So, hopefully, we can get it done.”
This season, he put up the best numbers of his career, with 19 goals and 37 assists, since the 2018-19 season with the Montreal Canadiens. His play fluctuated initially, with significant pointless streaks and being shuffled around the lineup to get him going.
It wasn’t until he was put with MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen that his game started to click. The best offensive line on the Avalanche played 485.4 minutes together with an expected goals percentage (xgoals%) of 57.3 and goals for per 60 minutes of 3.55, the fifth-highest rate in the league.
He also contributed on the power play, finishing with 19 power-play points, his highest total since the 2018-19 season with the Canadiens. He was able to be another wheel in the power-play clog.
At 29, Drouin signed a one-year prove-it deal for $825,000 last summer. He has earned a long-term deal to help the Avalanche bounce back from this series loss and continue his playmaking connection with MacKinnon going forward.
Yakov Trenin
Acquired at the 2024 Trade Deadline for a 2025 third-round pick and defense prospect Jeremy Hanzel, Yakov Trenin was added to help bolster the bottom-six and use his high-flying and physical game on the penalty kill. He scored two goals and one assist in 16 games, but his addition played a pivotal part in the team’s success down the stretch and into the playoffs.
The Avalanche needed more of his solid two-way game and physical play, especially at a low cap hit of $1.7 million, playing in a bottom-six role. His forechecking ability paired well with players like Miles Wood, Ross Colton and (another trade deadline acquisition) Brandon Duhaime.
Related: Grading the Colorado Avalanche’s Trade Deadline
The team’s depth played a significant role in Round 1 against the Winnipeg Jets but was dead quiet against the Stars in Round 2. It didn’t help that Trenin got hurt midway through the series while playing a pivotal role in defending against the Stars’ best players. Depth is an important factor heading into the playoffs, and the Avalanche thought they had enough with the addition of Trenin and others, but it was not enough. Bringing him back, since he can play left wing and center, will be a huge addition to revamping this bottom-six for another playoff run.
The 27-year-old is still in his prime, and with some more time in the offseason to rehab his injury, we could even see his offensive numbers climb next season.
Sean Walker
Sean Walker, acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Johansen and a 2025 1st-round pick (top-10 protected), was a hot commodity approaching the deadline. Walker was in the last year of his contract with the Los Angeles Kings, which signed before the start of the 2020-21 season with a cheap cap hit of roughly $2.23 million. He was having a career season with the Flyers, with six goals and 16 assists for 22 points, including three shorthanded points.
Bringing Walker in really helped solidify the defense pairings once the Avalanche traded away Bowen Byram. All three lines were easily swapped, with other players ready to go in case of injuries or days off needed. Walker helped provide both offensive and defensive depth on the third pair while being able to help lead the blue line on the second power-play unit.
Walker finished with four goals and seven points in 18 regular-season games with the Avalanche but none in the playoffs. A significant factor in his departure will be the amount of money he asks for. While he is a tremendous player, the Avalanche have other players they need to extend as well, so it could be rough to sign him to a lot of money when he’s going to mainly play on the third pair.
Free agency, like always, is an exciting time to see what changes general manager Chris MacFarland and president of hockey operations Joe Sakic see fit to make this team the best it can be. Losing in the second round isn’t good enough, and the team knows it. With a lot on their plate, we know management will do everything they can with the money they have to help take this team to the Stanley Cup Final.
