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The 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche

Pre-season is done. Before it even started, Erik Johnson broke his collarbone and won't be ready until early December at the earliest.  We made a late trade to acquire the rights to Mikhail Sidorov from New Jersey for Nicolas Meloche (who promptly got traded to Nashville).  Your 2021-22 Colorado Avalanche! Goalies Starter - Calvin Pickard  Backup - Igor Shestyorkin Picks is our clearcut starter, while Shestyorkin moves into the backup with the trade of Grubauer.  Defensemen LD - Will Butcher LD - Haydn Fleury LD/RD - Darnell Nurse LD/RD - Mikhail Sidorov RD - Tyson Barrie (A) RD/LD - Adam Boqvist RD - Erik Johnson We have a strong group of 7 defensemen. Sidorov is a much better version of Will Butcher, with strong veteran presence from 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner Tyson Barrie, Haydn Fleury, Darnell Nurse, and Erik Johnson. Boqvist will be entering his rookie year in the League. Forwards LW/C - Kyle Connor F - Tyson Jost W - Kristian Vesa...
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The Summer of Retooling

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2021 Off-season June 30, 2021 I'm going to have some free agent decisions to make. The Awards Ceremony in Vegas was pretty good. Tyson Barrie won the Norris as the best defenseman - very well deserved. And Gabriel Landeskog won the Lady Byng. Two of our players winning awards is a positive for our organization. Of course, our captain is hitting the market in under 24 hours... July 1, 2021 The 2021 off-season for the Colorado Avalanche was one of retooling. Our biggest free agent was obviously Landeskog. Pressed on cap space, the board of directors (or owners, or aka my bosses), said we could only afford $9.5 million a year for Landeskog. Unfortunately, he wanted over $10 million.  Washington already sent an offer. Not sure how to compete with that... July 2, 2021 Landeskog wants $11 million to be exact. We're going to need to clear some salary... Targets are relatively easy: Erik Johnson's $6 million, Joe Colborne $4 million, and Philipp Grubauer's $3.7...
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2021 NHL Draft

Live from the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. Round 1 (21st Overall):   Cash Emond (RD, Moose Jaw, WHL) Hard-working, and determined offensive defenseman. Solid prospect all around. Hopefully he'll be a money  pick. Hehe. We'll have an opening for him when he's ready. He'll join the team after the 2021-22 season, either with the ECHL's Colorado Eagles or the AHL's San Antonio Rampage. Very good puck-moving d-man and works hard. You can't teach work ethic. He'll need some time in the AHL when he joins after this upcoming season, but we'll bring him into camp to evaluate and help him plan on the things he can improve upon in the WHL.  Round 3 (81st Overall):   Lyle Moore (RW/C, Lethbridge, WHL) Very, very raw. But amazing physical attributes. Very much a boom or bust draft pick. But we have a lot of solid prospects already. It's worth swinging for the fences in the 3rd round for this player. Lo...
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The Post-Stanley Cup Hangover?

June 8, 2021 ====================DENVER POST===================== WHAT IF? COLORADO AVALANCHE SEASON REVIEW The end of the NHL season is always jubilation for one team, and heartbreak and disappoint for the latter 29 teams in the League. The 2020-21 Colorado Avalanche, unfortunately, are among the 29 teams looking in the mirror wondering "what if". The 2020-21 Avs were a strong team, but lacked some experience entering the season. The nucleus of Captain Gabriel Landeskog , Alternate Captains Matt Duchene and Tyson Barrie alongside 2013 1st Overall Pick Nathan MacKinnon , and Finn Mikko Rantanen , joining newcomers like former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Haydn Fleury , signed via Offer Sheet. The youth movement at Colorado was in full effect, with top picks from the 2016 (winger Tyson Jost ), 2017 (winger Kristian Vesalainen ), and the 2018 NHL Entry Drafts ( Zach Martin ) all making meaningful contributions in either their 1st or 2nd year in the League.  The ...
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