Offseason Outlook: Colorado Avalanche
With the offseason underway for a number of teams, and with the remainder to join them in a few weeks, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.
2016-17 Grade: F
In an era when NHL teams earn points for losing, the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche proved to be the most inept.
Since the adoption of the shootout coming out of the 2004-05 lockout, no team has finished with fewer than the 48 points amassed over 82 games by the Avalanche this season. If we include the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign, Colorado's .296 point percentage also ranks dead last.
The next worst seasons were recorded by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and it's no secret those rosters were not built to succeed, with a view to securing the best available talent through the draft.
To make matters worse, Colorado fell hard in the draft lottery, entering the proceedings with the best chance at securing the first overall pick and coming away with the fourth selection.
It doesn't get much worse than that.
Free Agents
General manager Joe Sakic's offseason to-do list features decisions to be made on a number of players who will need new contracts come July 1:
| Player (Position) | 2017-18 Status | Age | 2016-17 Cap Hit | '16-17 Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Mitchell (F) | UFA | 32 | $1.8M | 7 |
| Mikhail Grigorenko (F) | RFA | 22 | $1.3M | 23 |
| Matt Nieto (F) | RFA | 24 | $735000 | 13 |
| Rene Bourque (F) | UFA | 35 | $650000 | 18 |
| Sven Andrighetto (F) | RFA | 24 | $650000 | 24 |
| Fedor Tyutin (D) | UFA | 33 | $2M | 13 |
| Nikita Zadorov (D) | RFA | 22 | $894167 | 10 |
| Patrick Wiercioch (D) | RFA | 26 | $800000 | 12 |
| Cody Goloubef (D) | UFA | 27 | $750000 | 5 |
| Player (Position) | 2017-18 Status | Age | 2016-17 Cap Hit | '16-17 Save % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Smith (G) | UFA | 28 | $675000 | .888 |
2017 Draft Picks
Prior to that date, the Avalanche have eight picks in the NHL Draft.
| Round | Picks |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (4th overall) |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 0 |
| 4 | 2 (Own + Rangers) |
| 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 1 |
Summer Priorities
1. Get Sakic some help: At present, Sakic serves as the Avalanche's head of hockey operations, overseeing the big picture while also running things from the ground as GM. Team president Josh Kroenke sits above him, but the owner's son doesn't really bring much tangible puck knowledge to the table.
At this juncture in the team's history, Sakic desperately needs help, and Colorado would do well by bringing in an experienced executive to run the show as head of hockey operations while Sakic focuses on the GM role, or by hiring a GM to direct the ship and make some more informed moves to help improve the team, with Sakic's approval.
2. Determine which core players to build around: Amid the struggles of this past season, the likes of Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene were oft mentioned in trade rumors.
Sakic held his ground, but it's not known whether that was due to an affinity for the players or a lack of suitable offers. Sakic did say he wants the team to get younger and faster, with Mikko Rantanen and Tyson Jost set to play increasingly prominent roles.
A significant shakeup isn't out of the question here.
3. Make the most of the fourth overall pick: As mentioned above, a historically bad season produced a lower than expected first-round pick for the Avalanche, and while this year's crop won't reap a Connor McDavid or an Auston Matthews, an infusion of the best available talent would have been nice.
Sakic and Co. will now have to work a bit harder to figure out who to select with the pick, or weigh the merits of either trading up or packaging the selection in an even bigger trade.
2017-18 Outlook
Expecting the Avalanche to make the jump from 30th to the playoffs in the vein of the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs is a bit much, but a renewed emphasis on skill and speed, a bounce-back season for Semyon Varlamov - who spent much of the year on the shelf due to injury - and upgrades on the blue line should render Colorado at least somewhat competitive.
Still, pending offseason moves, the Avalanche will likely tumble back to the bottom of the Central Division next season.
Offseason Outlook Series
COL | VAN | NJD | ARI | BUF
DET | DAL | FLA | LAK | CAR
WPG | PHI | TBL | NYI | WSH
TOR | CGY | BOS | SJS | STL
NYR | EDM | MTL | ANA | MIN
CBJ | CHI | OTT | PIT | NAS
LGK