The Colorado Avalanche wanted to bounce back from a disappointing exit from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. And to some extent, they did. Colorado finished third in the Central Division behind the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. They went on to defeat the Jets in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well. However, they could not overcome the Stars in the second round.
Colorado entered NHL Free Agency with little wiggle room. They also didn’t have a clear way to create cap space to make a move. As a result, the Avalanche lost a few players. Yakov Trenin, Brandon Duhaime, and Sean Walker all signed on with new teams in NHL Free Agency this summer.
The Avalanche had the monumental task of replacing those contributors with the little cap space they had. But how did they do in NHL Free Agency in a general sense? Let’s take a look at the moves they made and hand the Avalanche a grade for their moves.
Avalanche re-sign Casey Mittelstadt, Jonathan Drouin
Colorado needed to take care of some of their key players this summer, and they did just that. The Avalanche re-signed veteran Jonathan Drouin to a one-year contract. His original prove-it contract with the Avalanche did wonders for both sides. Drouin scored 19 goals and a career high 56 points in 79 games. In the playoffs, he scored three goals in 12 games.
Before the market opened, though, their biggest move happened. The Avalanche re-signed center Casey Mittelstadt to a three-year contract before NHL Free Agency began. Colorado swung a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for Mittelstadt at the NHL Trade Deadline. Overall, the Minnesota native finished this past season with 18 goals and 57 points. In the playoffs, he added another three goals and nine points in 11 games.
Colorado adds depth to the roster
Once NHL Free Agency opened, the Avalanche set out to replace their lost depth. They brought back a familiar face with the signing of Jacob MacDonald to a two-year contract. The veteran rearguard spent parts of three seasons with the Avalanche before a trade to the San Jose Sharks during the 2022-23 campaign. Last season, he played 34 games with the Sharks while scoring nine points.
The Avalanche added another defenseman in the form of Erik Brannstrom. Brannstrom was once a top prospect in the NHL. He was a key piece in the Mark Stone trade between the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators in 2019. However, he never lived up to the high expectations placed upon him. Brannstrom played 76 games for the Senators in 2023-24 while scoring 20 points.
Colorado’s last defensive addition was veteran Calvin de Haan. de Haan spent this past season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored three goals and 10 points in 59 regular season games. The veteran rearguard appeared in just one playoff game for Tampa Bay this season.
Up front, the Avalanche made just one notable signing. Forward Parker Kelly joins Brannstrom in Colorado after spending the last four seasons in Ottawa. This past season saw the Alberta native put up career highs. Kelly scored eight goals and 18 points while playing in 80 regular season games.
Grading the Avalanche in NHL Free Agency
The Avalanche were never going to truly win NHL Free Agency this year. They simply didn’t have the cap space to make an impactful move. Sean Walker, Yakov Trenin, and Brandon Duhaime played considerable roles in Colorado. And it was going to be difficult to replace them in the lineup.
Given the circumstances, the Avalanche could have had a worse offseason. They didn’t make any truly great moves, but none of these are all that bad. MacDonald will serve as the seventh defenseman while de Haan and Brannstrom likely form the third pairing. Brannstrom should fit in better with Colorado’s style of play than he did in Ottawa.
Kelly can be an effective fourth-line contributor on the Avalanche. In the case of injury, he may be able to play on the third line for a brief period of time. That said, he is strictly a bottom-of-the-lineup presence that can chip in with some secondary offense.
The Avalanche have not replaced the production they lost. But they did bring in players that may bring more value than they did for other teams. In a way, their NHL Free Agency this summer is a collection of Jonathan Drouin-esque signings. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if these signings have a similar effect as the initial Drouin deal. If they do, the Avalanche may avoid losing a step in 2024-25 as they look to contend for the Stanley Cup once again.
GRADE: C+
