- The Avalanche lead the NHL in goals scored with 196, an average of 3.7 per game. Despite that, Corey Masisak of The Denver Post suggests that adding more scoring might be a good way for them to go at the trade deadline. With the status of Valeri Nichushkin moving forward in doubt while he’s in the Player Assistance Program and the fact that the bulk of their scoring is coming from two lines, adding someone to help deepen their attack could certainly be beneficial when the checking tightens up in the playoffs. However, cap space is quite limited and if they do opt to go that route, it could prevent them from shoring up their backup goalie spot as well.
Avalanche Rumors
Sam Malinski Assigned To AHL
- Following their loss to Florida, the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Sam Malinski to AHL Colorado. The 25-year-old was recalled on Tuesday and played that night but was scratched for their past two games. Malinski has 10 points in 23 games with the Avs so far while logging a little over 14 minutes a night and will likely be brought back up again in the coming days.
Colorado Avalanche Recall Sam Malinski
- The Colorado Avalanche have announced that the team has recalled defenseman Sam Malinski from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. Signing with the team as an undrafted free agent last season, Malinski’s first full season with the organization has been productive. In 22 games for the Eagles, Malinski has scored four goals and 13 points in 22 games, sitting third on the team in scoring among defensemen. In the exact amount of games played for the Avalanche, Malinski has put up three goals and 10 points while averaging a touch over 14 minutes of ice time per game.
[SOURCE LINK]
Trade Deadline Primer: Colorado Avalanche
With the All-Star break in the rearview, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avalanche are near the top of most people’s lists of Stanley Cup favorites in 2024. It’s understandable – Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar playing like the best players in the world at their respective positions heading out of the All-Star break. This core is also less than two years removed from one of the most dominant championship runs in recent memory.
However, they also boast one of the most flawed rosters on paper in this year’s contending class. They lack a true second-line center behind MacKinnon, no active forward outside the top line has cracked 30 points, and their goaltending has been only slightly above average. Alexandar Georgiev ranks 14th out of 32 starters in goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck. Their forward depth could be buoyed by the returns of captain Gabriel Landeskog from a knee cartilage replacement that was previously thought to be season-ending and Valeri Nichushkin, who is receiving treatment in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, but both players still have a muddy path to a return with no clear timeline. Assuming at least one of Landeskog or Nichushkin returns in time for postseason play, does GM Chris MacFarland believe this team is a top-six center and a backup goaltender away from winning their second championship in three years?
Record
32-14-13, 1st in the Central
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$1.24MM on deadline day, 0/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2024: COL 1st, COL 4th, SEA 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th
2025: COL 1st, COL 3rd, COL 4th, COL 5th, COL 6th, COL 7th
Trade Chips
Colorado’s cap space and draft pick cupboard are typical of a team that’s been in contention for a half-decade. However, their cap situation is likely to improve dramatically by March 8. The team isn’t accumulating any space with Landeskog and backup netminder Pavel Francouz on LTIR for a combined $9MM in relief, but Nichushkin’s $6.125MM cap hit still counts while he’s in the PAP and is taking a significant chunk out of their LTIR pool. Nichushkin is eligible for LTIR if he’s expected to meet the minimum absence requirements of 10 games and 24 days, which he will satisfy if he doesn’t return by Feb. 8 against the Hurricanes. If the Avalanche expect him to remain in treatment through the deadline, they could add him to LTIR and have nearly $7.4MM in space on deadline day, enough to execute any move they’d like.
That could be a tricky dance, though, as Nichushkin could return before the end of the regular season. The Avalanche would still need space to activate him from LTIR when he’s ready to go. Landeskog being ready to play before the postseason is much less likely, but as he’s begun on-ice work in his return from knee surgeries that have kept him out of the lineup for almost 20 months, it’s not impossible.
Colorado’s bottom six is fine for what it is. It’s the top nine that needs some fiddling, so they could stand to make a money-in, money-out move with some draft picks attached to necessitate an upgrade. That puts Ryan Johansen and his half-off cap hit of $4MM at the top of the Avs’ trade bait list. The 31-year-old’s stint in Denver hasn’t worked out, recording 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 49 games. He has below-team-average possession metrics and is now averaging less than 14 minutes per game. Nothing about his stat line this season is representative of a second-line center on a contending team, although he would carry value in a trade to a rebuilding team as a nearly 900-game veteran with years of top-six experience in his past. His deal expires at the end of the 2024-25 season, so he wouldn’t saddle a rebuilder with a long-term cap commitment if they anticipate spending big soon.
It’s a seller’s market on centers this year, as evidenced by the Canadiens recouping a first-round pick for the services of Sean Monahan as a rental from the Jets. That will require Colorado to attach one of their upcoming first-round picks in a deal, especially given they’ve traded away their upcoming second-round picks in back-to-back deadline deals for Artturi Lehkonen (2022) and Lars Eller (2023).
Team Needs
1) Second-Line Center: The gaping void down the middle behind MacKinnon’s electric performance (84 points in 49 games at the All-Star break) is perhaps the most glaring need for any contender in the league. If Johansen’s contract is going the other way to facilitate a swap, and the team has first-round picks (and some other lesser assets) to spare, is there a fit with the Ducks as a trade partner for Adam Henrique? The 33-year-old veteran is third on the Ducks on scoring with 15 goals and 33 points in 49 games and is one of the best options left on the market with Monahan and Elias Lindholm already off to new teams.
2) Experienced Backup: The Avalanche are no stranger to injuries between the pipes. Their 2022 Stanley Cup win wouldn’t have happened without the services of Francouz, who stepped in admirably when then-starter Darcy Kuemper was out for stretches of the First Round and Conference Final. After waiving Ivan Prosvetov last weekend, 23-year-old Justus Annunen and his five games of NHL experience are now firmly ensconced as Georgiev’s backup for the stretch run. His numbers aren’t great – a .871 SV% and 3.94 GAA over the past three seasons – but he has a respectable .908 SV% and 2.65 GAA in 23 minor-league showings with AHL Colorado this year. Still, MacFarland and head coach Jared Bednar would surely prefer a lower-risk option at the most important time of the year should Georgiev exit the lineup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Avalanche Assign Ivan Prosvetov To AHL
Feb. 4: Prosvetov cleared waivers Sunday and can be assigned to AHL Colorado, per Friedman. The Avalanche executed the reassignment shortly after he cleared, a team announcement states.
Feb. 3: The league is largely shut down this weekend for the All-Star break but waiver activity continues. Today, the Avalanche placed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov on waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).
Colorado claimed the 24-year-old off waivers from Arizona in training camp with backup Pavel Francouz dealing with a groin injury. With Francouz since being ruled out for the season, Prosvetov has become the full-time backup for the Avs this season. However, his performance has been inconsistent as he has played to a 3.16 GAA and a .895 SV% in 11 appearances so far. The end result has been starter Alexandar Georgiev leading the league in appearances by a goaltender at the break, hardly an ideal situation for someone whose career high in games played heading into last season was 34.
Prosvetov’s placement suggests that a change on that front is coming. Barring a trade on the horizon, the change should be in the form of prospect Justus Annunen. The 23-year-old has spent most of the year with AHL Colorado, posting a 2.65 GAA and a .908 SV% in 23 games while also making one start for the Avs. Annunen only has five career appearances at the top level under his belt but he is in his final season of waiver exemption so he’ll now get his chance to prove he’s worthy of the full-time second-string role. Otherwise, GM Chris MacFarland will have no choice but to turn to the trade market.
With goalie depth hard to come by, it wouldn’t be shocking to see someone claim Prosvetov on Sunday. If that team is the Coyotes and they’re the only team to do so, Arizona would then be able to send him to AHL Tucson. If the Coyotes aren’t the only team to put in a claim, they’d then be forced to re-waive him or keep him on the NHL roster.
Nathan MacKinnon Wins One-Timers Event At Skills Competition; Cale Makar Wins Hardest Shot
The NHL’s All-Star Skills Competition was held on Friday night in a revamped format that saw a dozen players compete in a head-to-head format while taking part in at least four of the events. Oilers center Connor McDavid took home the title and $1MM while the rest of the results were as follows.
Fastest Skater: McDavid (Oilers, 13.408 seconds)
One-Timers: Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche, 23 points)
Passing Challenge: Elias Pettersson (Canucks, 25 points)
Hardest Shot: Cale Makar (Avalanche, 102.56 mph)
Stick Handling: McDavid (Oilers, 25.755 seconds)
Accuracy Shooting: McDavid (Oilers, 9.158 seconds)
One-On-One: William Nylander (Maple Leafs, 9 points), Alexandar Georgiev (Avalanche, 9 saves)
Obstacle Course: McDavid (Oilers, 40.666 seconds)
Other early news from around the hockey world:
- Former Bruins goaltender Blaine Lacher passed away on Friday at the age of 53, the team announced (Twitter link). Lacher made an immediate impact in the NHL, coming up as Boston’s starter in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign, putting up a 2.41 GAA in 35 games to earn him a top-five finish in Calder Trophy voting. However, Lacher only made seven appearances at the top level after that. No cause of death was revealed.
- On Friday, the NHLPA expressed its frustration with Arizona’s search for a new arena site, stating that they’ve missed two deadlines already while not engaging with the PA on numerous fronts. However, it appears the team remains on track to purchase a parcel of land as the team confirmed (Twitter link) a report from ABC15’s Taylor Rocha that they are moving forward with a plan to buy in North Phoenix. At this point, multiple arena sites are still being considered which means we’re still likely a little while away from having more clarity on that front.
Prospect Ivan Zhigalov Released By USHL Team
- Avalanche goaltending prospect Ivan Zhigalov is looking for a new place to play as USHL Tri-City announced that they’ve released him from their roster. The 20-year-old was the final pick of the 2022 draft, going 225th overall after a 42-game stint in the QMJHL. Last year, Zhigalov cleared waivers in that league and moved to the OHL. He cleared waivers there back in September and caught on with Tri-City but has played in just nine games so far this season, posting a 3.59 GAA with a .884 SV%. Colorado has until June 1st to sign Zhigalov or lose his rights.
Colorado Avalanche Send Down Sam Malinski
To make a roster spot for their newly signed veteran forward Zach Parise, the Colorado Avalanche announced they have reassigned defenseman Sam Malinski to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. This reassignment will mark the fourth time that Malinski has been sent down to the AHL this season.
Called up on emergency loan in each of his four promotions to the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been quite effective in Denver, scoring three goals and 10 points in 22 games, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per night. In similar numbers to the NHL, Malinski has played in 20 games an hour north in Fort Collins for the Eagles, scoring three goals and nine points altogether.
Unlikely to be his last time playing for the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been one of the few bright prospects to rise through the ranks of the organization over the last several years. Still, Malinski was only acquired last season as an undrafted free agent coming out of Cornell University, and is a touch old compared to most prospects, already being 25 years old.
Colorado Avalanche Sign Zach Parise
Shortly before their game tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, the Colorado Avalanche announced they have signed veteran forward Zach Parise to a one-year contract. Frank Seravalli of the DailyFaceoff reports that the one-year contract will be worth a pro-rated $825K for the rest of the season.
Even after seeing the return of Artturi Lehkonen back into the lineup, the Avalanche are still without some of their high-level forward depth since Valeri Nichushkin left for the NHLPA Player Assistance Program. In Parise, Colorado will likely not be able to replace the production left by Nichushkin with the 39-year-old fully. Still, it should create a formidable top-nine forward unit upon his return to the organization.
Historically, the story of Parise is known well, being one of the better players in the league for the New Jersey Devils in the late-2000s and early-2010s. Scoring 410 points in 502 games for New Jersey, as well as leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, Parise famously joined the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent before the 2012-13 season, signing an identical 13-year, $98MM contract as defenseman Ryan Suter.
Much to the dismay of both player and team, some injury-riddled seasons, as well as a dire need for cap space, led the Wild General Manager, Bill Guerin, to buy out the contracts of both Parise and Suter after year nine of the 13-year agreements. It wouldn’t take long for Parise to find a new home, however, Lou Lamoriello would quickly ink him to a one-year contract with the New York Islanders, being the executive that originally drafted Parise into the NHL.
Returning to much better health with the Islanders, over two separate one-year contracts with the organization, Parise would play in all 82 games in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 NHL seasons. Over the course of those two contracts, Parise became a quality auxiliary scorer for New York, putting up 36 goals and 69 points over 164 games, with 21 of those goals coming last season alone.
Having not played in an NHL game since late April of 2023, it will undoubtedly take some time for Parise to make his return to any NHL contest, especially with the speed at which Colorado plays the game. Nevertheless, as an effective scorer and veteran presence on a recent Stanley Cup Champion team, the marriage between Parise and the Avalanche should prove valuable to both sides.
Afternoon Notes: Panthers, Myers, Johnson
Top Florida Panthers centerman Aleksander Barkov will be a game-time decision for the team’s Wednesday night game against the Arizona Coyotes, per head coach Paul Maurice. Barkov has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury. Maurice also shared that defenseman Gustav Forsling is expected to make his return from a personal absence that held him out of Monday night’s game.
The Panthers performed admirably despite Barkov and Forsling’s absence, beating the Nashville Predators 4-1, bringing an end to a four-game losing streak. Interestingly, the losing streak came immediately after a nine-game winning streak that dated back to the holiday season. Florida will look to get back to their festive feelings with the return of both their second-highest-scoring forward and defenseman on a point-per-game basis.
Centerman Nick Cousins also made his return to Florida’s practices on Monday, wearing a no-contact jersey. Cousins has been out since January 2nd with a concussion. He’s appeared in 37 games this year, netting five points, 20 penalty minutes, and a -10.
Other notes from around the league:
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have sent defenseman Philippe Myers to the AHL. Myers has been with the top club since January 1st, appearing in five games and failing to score a point. He’s spent the majority of his season with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, where he’s managed a team-leading +20, in addition to nine points and 43 penalty minutes, through 28 games.
- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Jack Johnson will miss the team’s Wednesday night game with a nagging lower-body injury, per head coach Jared Bednar. He’s been designated as day-to-day. Johnson has played in 47 games this year, netting nine points, 34 penalty minutes, and a +6 – though he’s averaging just under 15 minutes of ice time, a step down from the 17 minutes he averaged last season.
