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Free Agent Profile: Paul Stastny

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When the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup this year, they did so without a player who many thought a decade ago would be a long-term franchise cornerstone. That player is Paul Stastny, who, now 36 years old, remains a free agent almost a month after the signing period opened this offseason. After falling to the second round in the 2005 NHL Draft, Stastny blew the doors off the Avalanche franchise with three out of four 70-point seasons to begin his NHL career in 2007, 2008, and 2010.

While he never replicated that offensive success, largely due to a variety of injuries, Stastny remained a capable top-six two-way center for years to come. Now a veteran of over 1,000 games, though, Stastny is coming off his second full season with the Winnipeg Jets and remains without a Stanley Cup. He may be somewhat of a forgotten name as his best seasons are behind him, but Stastny’s still managed 74 points in 127 games over the last two seasons while averaging over 17 minutes per game. It’s fair to say that while the end of the road for Stastny may be near, it’s not here yet.

Stastny’s 16-year resume with Winnipeg and Colorado in addition to time with the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights still make him a valuable asset to teams looking to add cohesiveness in their locker room as they vie for a championship. He hasn’t been a name that’s popped up in many rumors, but he should certainly be on the radar of teams as the offseason slogs on.

Stats

2021-22: 71 GP, 21G, 24A, 45 pts, +14 rating, 14 PIMs, 141 shots, 17:47 ATOI
Career: 1072 GP, 284G, 516A, 800 pts, +50 rating, 484 PIMs, 2246 shots, 18:53 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Poetically enough, a reunion with the team that drafted him shouldn’t be out of the question. If the Avalanche can’t manage to re-sign Nazem Kadri this late in the game, they have more than enough cap space to accommodate a reasonable one-year deal for Stastny. Providing a little more offensive upside than J.T. Compher and more experience than Alex Newhook, Stastny could be a strong short-term solution to Colorado’s open spot at center on the second line.

Another team that could look to acquire Stastny to fill the same role to shelter a younger player is the Carolina Hurricanes. While Jesperi Kotkaniemi will get paid a decent chunk of change next year, he hasn’t really done much to earn that dollar value with his performance. With a team like Carolina that’s so close to winning, Stastny could be a desirable veteran backup to Sebastian Aho, and, with Carolina’s depth on the wing, he’d have a lot of offensive support. The team would likely need to shed cap to make room for him, however.

Projected Contract

Stastny is coming off a one-year $3.75MM contract with Winnipeg. With a decent performance last season, too, there will be a team out there able and willing to pay him more than the league minimum. While he likely won’t replicate that dollar value, a contract in the $1.75MM-$2.5MM range could be there for Stastny in the coming days.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Should Colorado Start To Look At Non-Kadri Center Options?

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  • While it’s understandable that Colorado wants to remain in the mix for free agent center Nazem Kadri, Paul Kiszla of the Denver Post suggests that the Avalanche should start to look at other options either by trade or by bringing back someone like Paul Stastny. The Avs don’t have enough money to bring back the 32-year-old at his desired asking price while a deal that might fit in better with their financial structure – the scribe suggests a $6.5MM AAV for four years – also would require some subtraction from their current roster.  Colorado can afford some patience with Kadri’s camp while the market has basically come to a complete halt but at some point, they may need to start looking at alternate plans to fill out their roster for next season.

Minor Transactions: 08/03/22

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It’s been a busy start to the month of August, with the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils both getting some of the biggest RFAs left on the board signed within the past 48 hours. It’s busy elsewhere in the hockey world, too, and former (or possibly future) NHLers are making their way around the minor leagues in North America and professional leagues in Europe. We’ll keep track of those moves today right here.

  • After splitting last season between the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Chicago Wolves, former Colorado Avalanche defense prospect Chris Bigras will try his hand in Europe for the first time. Per the team, the KHL’s only Kazakhstani club, Barys Nur-Sultan, has signed him to a one-year deal for the 2022-23 season. Bigras hasn’t suited up for an NHL game since he appeared in 15 with Colorado during the 2017-18 season.
  • Defenseman Cole Hults is heading to the Italian club HC Bolzano in the ICEHL after just two seasons in the AHL, per a team release. Hults played in 54 games last season with the Tucson Roadrunners while under contract with the Arizona Coyotes, registering 17 points. He’ll join his older brother Mitch on the team.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Colorado Avalanche Sign Anton Blidh

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Per a team tweet Wednesday afternoon, the Colorado Avalanche have signed former Boston Bruins forward Anton Blidh to a one-year contract in free agency. Contract terms will be updated when they’re released.

Blidh joins the Avalanche after spending seven seasons playing in the Bruins organization, turning pro two years after he was drafted by the team in 2013. He finally became a full-time NHL player in 2021-22, and while he only played in 32 games for the Bruins, it was the first season in the organization that he never suited up in the AHL.

In 2021-22, Blidh set NHL career highs in goals (two), assists (seven), and points (nine) in those 32 games. He’d appeared in NHL games for the Bruins in six straight seasons, finishing with 12 points in 70 games.

Mostly a checking and energy forward, Blidh could look to replace the loss of Nicolas Aube-Kubel in the Avalanche lineup if he’s able to continue his regular NHL presence. If not, he’ll be a leader in the room for the Colorado Eagles.

Free Agent Profile: Phil Kessel

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In his peak throughout the 2010s, Phil Kessel was a consistent 30-goal threat, displaying his electric shooting talent en route to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins (and with the Toronto Maple Leafs before that). While Kessel’s move to Arizona for the last three seasons may have left him forgotten in some circles, he’s coming off his best season in three years.

Despite a career-low 4.6 shooting percentage, Kessel will pitch his relatively high point total, especially given the poor state of affairs in Arizona, to convince teams he’s still a credible threat. And, looking at his strong play-driving numbers from last season, he may have a point. Despite seeing his ice time dip to its lowest point during his three years in Arizona, Kessel still managed to finish within 11 points of the team lead at age 34.

It’s not often that a 34-year-old is on the open market with a strong reason to invest in a rebound season, but that’s the case with Kessel. Even if his defense hasn’t been pretty lately, it was never a selling point to his game. Considering his career average shooting percentage sits over 10 percent, expecting Kessel to have a stronger offensive season in 2022-23, at least in terms of putting pucks in the net, is a safe bet.

His Stanley Cup pedigree should also make him an attractive option for teams looking for affordable depth to help push them over the hump to a Stanley Cup.

Stats

2021-22: 82 GP, 8-44-52, -24 rating, 40 PIMs, 175 shots, 45.3 CF%, 16:41 ATOI
Career: 1204 GP, 399-557-956, -148 rating, 372 PIMs, 3700 shots, 49.3 CF%, 18:02 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Kessel should find a home before a lot of other veterans are forced to settle for PTOs as training camps begin. While he’s not what he used to be, he still had more than 50 points last season. With his low price tag, he should be an attractive option as teams continue to tinker with their rosters during the month of August.

There could be a spot for him in the bottom six of a retooled Calgary Flames forward group. While Jakob Pelletier is a strong candidate to make a jump to the NHL next season after a strong season in Stockton, Kessel could challenge other veterans such as Milan Lucic or Sean Monahan for playing time at a cheaper price and more goal-scoring upside. He could go Cup-chasing with the Colorado Avalanche as well, as they’ve lost some depth forwards such as Andre Burakovsky and Nicolas Aube-Kubel. He could also stand to be a solid secondary scoring option for the Minnesota Wild after they lost Kevin Fiala.

If he wants to head back East, the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers are a trio of teams that could use him in their bottom six.

Projected Contract

Kessel came in 23rd on our Top 50 UFAs list in early July. While he likely won’t command the $2MM AAV we predicted at this point, there’s still a solid chance he could earn seven figures and not have to settle for a league minimum deal. It all likely depends on the cap situation of the team Kessel opts to sign with, as after over $90MM in career earnings, per CapFriendly, money likely won’t be a huge factor in his decision.

Looking Back At The First Round Of The 2005 NHL Entry Draft

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On this date 17 years ago, the first round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa. It was the league’s first major event since the lockout that cost them the entire 2004-05 season ended just over a week prior, and considering the draft’s top prize, there was added intrigue.

With the lack of regular-season standings to determine the draft order, the league implemented a snake draft system to make things more equitable for teams in later rounds that didn’t fare so well in the draft lottery. One team that did fare well that night, though, was the Pittsburgh Penguins, who cemented a 15-plus year run of success by drafting future captain Sidney Crosby with the first overall pick.

Five players selected that night went on to appear in at least 1,000 NHL games, including Crosby. One was 2022 Stanley Cup Champion Jack Johnson, taken third overall by the Carolina Hurricanes. Johnson never played a single game for Carolina, though, as he was traded the following offseason to the Los Angeles Kings along with defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky in exchange for defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger.

Johnson wasn’t the only player from the first round to play meaningful games for the Kings, though. The team selected two-time Stanley Cup champion and future captain Anze Kopitar with the 11th overall selection. Another thousand-gamer was selected directly after him when the New York Rangers picked defenseman Marc Staal 12th overall, while Johnson’s teammate on the 2022 Avalanche, forward Andrew Cogliano, was selected 25th by the Edmonton Oilers.

One name from that night who could still join the 1,000-game club was St. Louis Blues selection and current Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. Taken 24th overall, he only needs 100 more appearances to hit the mark.

Future Stanley Cup-winning skaters weren’t the only future legends drafted that night, though. Two of the greatest goalies in recent memory were drafted that night, with the Montreal Canadiens selecting Carey Price with the fifth overall pick and the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Tuukka Rask with the 21st overall pick, of course prior to trading him to the Boston Bruins the following season.

Just three players selected that night, all taken within four picks of each other, would never make an NHL appearance. Slovak forward Marek Zagrapan, drafted 13th overall by the Buffalo Sabres, played just three years in the organization with two different AHL affiliates, scoring 20 goals there just once. At 35 years old, Zagrapan is still active, playing the 2022-23 season in the French Ligue Magnus.

Directly after him, the Washington Capitals took Canadian defenseman Sasha Pokulok with the 14th overall pick. The first overage player taken in the draft, he’s arguably the biggest bust of the night. He never spent a full season in the AHL, bouncing up and down between there and the ECHL for four seasons after turning pro in 2006. He failed to make a notable impact in Europe, too, only lasting one season in the DEL (2010-11) before floating around various lower-level leagues in Eastern Europe and Quebec.

Lastly, there’s Canadian winger Alex Bourret, taken by the Atlanta Thrashers at 16th overall. A short but strong power winger, Bourret had a very successful junior career in the QMJHL that just didn’t translate. His North American career fizzled out quickly after a strong start in the AHL, but after being traded twice (first to the Rangers, then to the Coyotes), he had just 14 points in 48 AHL games during his final season there in 2008-09.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Mikhail Maltsev

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8:34 pm: CapFriendly reports it’s a two-way deal for Maltsev, earning him $200K in the minors with $250K guaranteed.

11:27 am: The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed restricted free agent Mikhail Maltsev to a one-year deal. The young forward was eligible for salary arbitration this summer but chose not to file. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports it’s an $800K cap hit on the one-year contract.

Maltsev, 24, arrived in Colorado by way of trade last summer, acquired from the New Jersey Devils (along with a second-round pick) in exchange for Ryan Graves. After playing in 33 games for the Devils, he spent nearly the entire 2021-22 season in the minor leagues. In 56 games with the Colorado Eagles, he scored 17 goals and 48 points, as one of the AHL club’s most reliable offensive players.

In 18 appearances with the Avalanche, however, Maltsev was unable to register even a single point, while averaging just eight minutes a night. While he did use his big frame to add some physicality to the fourth line, his fit for the Avalanche is unclear moving forward. In fact, signing a deal like this might even be considered a surprise, given how little NHL playing time he received this year.

With the presence of the KHL looming over the Russian forward, especially given his previous affiliation with his hometown SKA St. Petersburg club, one could wonder how much more time he will spend in the AHL before pursuing other opportunities. One thing that may impact that is the fact that Maltsev will be subject to waivers this year, meaning if the Avalanche want to send him to the Eagles, the rest of the league will have a chance to grab him.

Colorado Hires Kevin McDonald

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The Colorado Avalanche had a vacant assistant general manager position after promoting Chris MacFarland earlier this summer, and have decided to go outside the organization to fill it. The team has hired Kevin McDonald as their new AGM, taking him away from the St. Louis Blues where he has worked for more than two decades in a variety of roles.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Keaton Middleton

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24-year-old defenseman Keaton Middleton signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche today, per the team. PuckPedia reports the contract is a two-way deal paying him $750K in the NHL and $100K in the minors.

Middleton was originally drafted 101st overall in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the team elected to not sign him to an entry-level contract within two seasons, relinquishing his exclusive rights. After his junior career ended, Middleton played the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons on an AHL contract with the San Jose Barracuda alongside his older brother, Jacob Middleton.

After starting the 2020-21 season on an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles, the younger Middleton finally received an NHL entry-level contract from the Avalanche in the middle of the season. With the deal expiring this offseason, the Avalanche issued Middleton a qualifying offer, keeping him within the organization.

Middleton did slot into three NHL games in 2020-21 after signing his deal, but he failed to register a point in those contests. He’s destined to head back to the Eagles this fall for a third straight season after the physical defenseman had 76 penalty minutes, two goals, and nine assists for 11 points in 49 games there in 2021-22.

CapFriendly was the first to report Middleton had signed a one-year deal to remain in Colorado.

Colorado Avalanche Re-Sign Cal Burke

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The Colorado Avalanche have rewarded a hard-working minor-leaguer with a one-year, two-way NHL contract. Per a team announcement, the Avalanche have signed forward Cal Burke to a one-year deal carrying a $750K cap hit and a $100K AHL salary.

Burke, 25, is an undrafted player who made his professional debut in 2020-21 after a successful collegiate career at Notre Dame. In his senior season, Burke captained Notre Dame and scored 21 points in 37 games, all while being relied upon as one of their most important defensive forwards.

As a professional, Burke had a difficult first season in Colorado. He only scored nine points in 33 games and had to handle a difficult, limited role without much in the way of offensive opportunities. This season, the ice opened up for Burke and he scored 12 goals and 26 points in 57 games.

Burke was a second-unit penalty killer for the Eagles and he even saw a bit of power-play time. Burke’s tenacity, two-way play, and commitment to his work ethic are what’s earned him this NHL contract, and his fast start to this past AHL year (14 points in 19 games) is an indication that there may yet be some more offensive upside to be unlocked in his game. Burke will likely head to training camp in the fall, hoping to earn a spot on the defending champ’s fourth line.

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