The Colorado Avalanche are getting closer and closer to unrestricted free agency without any resolution to their two biggest UFA negotiations. While most assumed captain Gabriel Landeskog would be re-signed without issue, things haven’t progressed as quickly as the veteran forward was hoping. In fact, Landeskog expressed some frustration when speaking with Peter Baugh of The Athletic:
I can’t help but be honest with you that I’m a little bit disappointed that it’s gotten this far and it’s had to come to this point.
We’ll see what happens. I’m still hopeful that we can agree on something and come to terms, but if it was up to me, I would have liked it to be done eight months ago, 10 months ago.
It’s difficult to imagine Landeskog in any sweater other than Colorado’s, given he has been a fixture there for so long. Selected second overall in 2011, the Swedish forward immediately jumped into the NHL to win the Calder Trophy with 52 points in 82 games. By the start of year two, he was made the then-youngest captain in NHL history. It’s been his team ever since, even as other supremely talented players have come and gone, even as Nathan MacKinnon assumed the mantle as the best player on the team; it was still Landeskog who wore the “C”.
Last night, Darren Dreger of TSN reported that Landeskog and the Avalanche are “not even close” in their negotiations, which raises some eyebrows given how close free agency is. In just two weeks teams will be able to call up Landeskog and offer him a huge long-term contract. The market for his services will be large, as it’s not often a player that combines first-line offensive production with physicality and leadership hits the market at the age of 28. With 52 points in 54 games this season, he recorded his eighth season of at least 20 goals.
There is still time for the Avalanche to work things out with their captain, but given the fact that they also need to sign Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer and restricted free agent Cale Makar, there might not be enough money to go around. The team currently has more than $25MM in cap space, but that will shrink considerably after a deal is completed with Makar and the Avalanche still have MacKinnon’s free agency to think about. The 25-year-old center will hit the open market after the 2022-23 season, likely deserving to be paid among the highest earners in the entire NHL. Signing Landeskog and Grubauer to long-term deals would certainly complicate things going forward, but watching your captain walk out the door in the prime of his career is certainly not an optimal scenario.
Don’t see him being resigned at his age and with more pressing needs to address. Makar is gonna get a bridge deal for large dollars and McKinnon with like be in the 10-12 million dollar range. That’s not even accounting what Grubauer will require.
No, most HAVEN’T assumed that Landeskog would be promptly re-signed without an issue. For Grubauer and Makar to be signed for under $15 million between them would be a miracle. The Avs have only ten forwards under contract, and re-signing Saad is going to take a few million too. Landeskog just will get more on the open market than Colorado has to pay him, unless he takes a big hometown discount.
It’s been rumored St. Louis will make a push for him if he makes it to market. I’m sure there will be many interested parties. 2 questions: Where do we see him signing? (Besides Colorado, of course) How much does he get on the open market??
If he makes it that far, expect the Kings to make a heavy push for him, and if they seal the deal, he’ll walk right into the ‘A’ vacated by Carter.
Landy and Laffy on the top line with Zibby.
The Rangers and Drury will make this happen. This is the leader to take us to the promised land.
Should probably get a centre instead
A centy to go with left wingy and right wingy…
Seattle has an exclusive free agency window starting Sunday according to ESPN…hmmm
They certainly have the best potential to offer him top dollar, but you’d think Landeskog would want a chance to win AND be paid deservingly.
Never know. . . Maybe Francis and his team offer boatloads of cash and sell him (and his family) on the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, all-the-while convincing him with the exciting vision they have for the team and by promising the captaincy. I’m sure Landeskog will receive less exciting offers. Sure sounds like the Avs are one of them, surprisingly!
I think you’re right. He’s going to get paid a boatload and probably from a team that will be in contention. He doesn’t seem like the type that needs to be the star or face of the franchise either.
I can’t wait for the next couple of weeks either way. It’s going to be interesting and exciting.
Yep. This’ll come down to (a) teams with the cap space to pay him, who (b) are contenders, or at least fancy themselves to be. That comes down, IMHO, to Boston, the Rangers, Los Angeles and *maybe* Nashville.
In the end, I think he still signs with Colorado. Alic is just playing hardball knowing how he has A LOT of key players/positions to look after this season and next.
Alic who?
Sakic. Got AC’d
Seatlle is my bet if the Avs don’t resign him. Not contenders? How many times have Vegas sniffed the cup? He should have been traded last year but the pressure of being a top team and cup contenders forced their hand. They knew they had stars that needed paid and between him nate and cale, he would be the odd man out. Now he can walk for nothing. Chasing cups is risky business and it is easy saying that now since they got ice cold at the end and couldn’t finish. But we are where we are and looking back, maybe trading him at the deadline wouldn’t have been such a bad idea.