Quick Note: The Predators and Avalanche roster swapped, so when I'm referring to last season I'm talking about S30 Predators. Lead-Up to S31 The Jack Adams winner @NINETY ElGHT returns for another season. After last season ended losing to the eventual Stanley CUP winners in the Western Conference Finals, the Avalanche began to retool for another season. With two of their top players leaving due to being off their draft contracts, there were some holes to fill. Their lone resign was @l Remiasz l9l for 1.25 million who was acquired in the middle of S30 and went 16-1-0 in his 17 games after joining his new team. @P00Dkcaj left the team for bidding and was replaced by the Calder winner @Arctic Blur . Two more players will be returning. @P3k1ng DuK is back who should be poised for a breakout season after bouncing around in a variety of roles in S30. The other returning player is @Seek0 who was drafted 76th overall in the S30 LGHL Draft. He proved in his short time the Avs that he's ready to make the jump with a 4-0-1 record as an ECU along with a 20-win season with the Milwaukee Admirals in S30. Oh yeah, and Jared2112 changed his tag to @Brkaway89 . Bidding The Avs definitely spent some cap acquiring 3 solid forward lines. They get last season's Hart winner for 9 million in @Brkaway89 who will slot in alongside @NINETY ElGHT and @Arctic Blur and have similar success. They snag two members of the newly created Gladiators ESHL team for a combined 6.75 in @Double_brah and @F0G 19 . Then, they spend another 7 million on another duo with chemistry in @rG Breezyy and @Lorenzo x 24 who were both candidates for the Calder last season. The last forward bid went to someone management is familiar with in @Wooly x 33 for 500k. He's put up a ton of points in the CHL for a number of seasons (and some AHL experience on average teams), but it's a new game and a new team. It's the league-minimum contract, so it won't hurt the team too much if he doesn't score at will. They already used a lot of cap on their forwards, so they had about 7 million to spend on four defensemen (already have @l Remiasz l9l and @Seek0 from last season). Safe to say they got some pretty good contracts out of bidding. They get two guys they are pretty familiar with in (current and former Black Ice members) @trevwings at 1.5 (previously 3.75) and @ZuKe Zuchegno at 2.5 (previously 2). Then, @Provorov x 9 joins the team for 500k who has some chemistry with the Lorenzo/Breezy duo due to being with them in previous seasons. Lastly, the Avs give a contract to @lHTHl for 1.75, and he was pretty solid at defense in NHL 18. I'd expect he's worth the contract if not more (can he control the cancer though?). Not much to talk about with goalies. They get two guys who have been pretty reliable as backups and starters in parts of various seasons in @King Natzu and @Tex243 . They both should have transitioned to NHL 19 pretty well as most goalies have, so spending 2 million on both of them combined shouldn't be too much of a gamble. Current (Projected) Roster Forwards: @NINETY ElGHT @Brkaway89 @Arctic Blur @Wooly x 33 @Double_brah @F0G 19 @Lorenzo x 24 @rG Breezyy @P3k1ng DuK Defense: @ZuKe Zuchegno @trevwings @lHTHl @l Remiasz l9l @Seek0 @Provorov x 9 Goalies: @Tex243 @King Natzu Summary: They had some good returning pieces, and had a pretty clear strategy going into this bidding. They have some firepower on each forward line, so the key to success is to get some good goal support from each line. If there's a weakness it's the defense. There are a few guys playing out of position which can sometimes be hazardous. Also, nearly all of the defensemen on this team have talent but are essentially unproven in a big role in the NHL. So a few of the defensemen will have to step into a role likely bigger than they played on their previous team. If everything fits into place, they are one of the teams that has a good chance to get 15+ wins out of each line. Key Additions: @Arctic Blur (as GM), @Lorenzo x 24 , @rG Breezyy , @Double_brah , @F0G 19 Key Departures: @MarcoGoes5H0LE , @goonderk , @justlax10 , @P00Dkcaj , @iTz x Luigi x , @l T Nicholls l
Lastly, the Avs give a contract to @lHTHl for 1.75, and he was pretty solid at defense in NHL 18. I'd expect he's worth the contract if not more (can he control the cancer though?). That's a big no there, chief.
