It was a season that started with a victory over San Jose and ended with a loss to San Jose. In between, the Avalanche tossed off the “laughingstock” label affixed after a last-place Western Conference finish a year ago and brought respectability back to the hockey side of Stan Kroenke’s Denver sporting empire.
So how do the Avs get to that next level of higher esteem? In a sport in which the difference between a playoff team and a nonplayoff team can be the width of a skate blade, how do the Avs stay inside the velvet rope of playoff teams?
“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said after his team was eliminated from the NHL playoffs Saturday by the Sharks. “We’re going to be young, we’re going to be full of energy and we’re going to play to our identity. I really see a lot of upside here.”
There are several reasons to be optimistic that the Avs can be as good or better next season. They have a goalie, Craig Anderson, who had a breakthrough season as a starter and will be only 29 next month. They have three young centers — Paul Stastny, Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly — who should continue to improve. They have several other young forwards — including TJ Galiardi, Chris Stewart and Brandon Yip — who took big steps forward in their career development.
The Avs will need to get bigger, younger and faster on the blue line, but there is reason for optimism that can happen sooner rather than later. In their system are three young defensemen — Kevin Shattenkirk, Colby Cohen and Cameron Gaunce — who have strong potential and should get a long look at training camp this fall. Another youngster, 2009 second- round draft pick Stefan Elliot, had an outstanding season for his junior team and may be ready to play in the NHL in the not-too-distant future.
If the youngsters aren’t ready next season, and if the Avs feel they need to look to the free-agent market for some short-term help on defense or upfront, they will have some significant cash to spend.
Right now, the Avs have 12 players who can be considered likely roster players signed through next season, at a cap-averaged payroll of about $28 million.
Plus, the Avs do not have any players who can be considered high-dollar, potential unrestricted free agents that would take up a lot of payroll to re-sign. They will have two restricted free agents — Stewart and Peter Mueller — who should see significant raises from their current salaries of just under $1 million. But neither player is likely to end up anywhere else but Colorado next season, given the NHL’s punishing system for signing restricted free agents.
Thus, the Avs could do some serious shopping on the free-agent market in July, and there should be a few big names available. But the template of the organization seems to be to keep rebuilding from within, and not put all the hope in expensive imports.
“We’ve got to continue to work and make sure we do the right things to get ready for next season,” Sacco said.
The Avalanche won’t have trouble motivating Duchene, who led NHL rookies in scoring.
“I was happy with how I played, but obviously it wasn’t enough, and it just gives me that much more motivation to train harder over the summer and come back and be better,” he said.
The Avs will have a first-round pick in this summer’s NHL draft in Los Angeles. Based on their playoff finish, the Avs are guaranteed to get a pick among the top 22 choices.
It’s hard to say which type of player the Avs will most want, but restocking the depth at forward seems to be the team’s biggest need, despite the several youngsters already established. The Avs don’t have any blue-chip forward prospects currently in the organization, and injuries toward the end of the season exposed the team’s lack of offensive depth.
But the future seems encouraging.
“We should be a better, more experienced team next year,” veteran Milan Hejduk said. “There are a lot of positives.”
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Reason for optimism in 2010-11
The Avs have a young team, with some strong defensive prospects on the way and lots of potential cash to spend this summer on the free-agent market.
Reason for pessimism
Those young defensemen could still be a year or two away from being fully ready. With such parity in the NHL, it doesn’t take much to slip from playoff contention.
Free agents to follow
Selected pending NHL unrestricted free agents, with 2009-10 salaries. Some of these are unlikely to leave current teams if they don’t retire. These players will be available July 1 if unsigned by current teams:
LW Ilya Kovachuk New Jersey $7.5 million
D Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit $7.45 million
C-RW Patrick Marleau San Jose $6.3 million
D Scott Niedermayer Anaheim $6.0 million
G Evgeni Nabokov San Jose $6 million
LW Paul Kariya St. Louis $6.0 million
C Olli Jokinen N.Y. Rangers $5.5 million
D Sergei Gonchar Pittsburgh $5.5 million
G Marty Turco Dallas $5.4 million
D Kim Johnsson Chicago $5.3 million
D Pavel Kubina Atlanta $5.0 million
D Paul Martin New Jersey $4.5 million
G Jose Theodore Washington $4.5 million
LW Alexander Frolov Los Angeles $4.0 million
G Vesa Toskala Calgary $4.0 million
RW Lee Stempniak Phoenix $3.5 million
LW Fredrik Modin Los Angeles $3.5 million
D Willie Mitchell Vancouver $3.5 million
D Rob Blake San Jose $3.5 million
D Mike Van Ryn Toronto $3.35 million
C Saku Koivu Anaheim $3.25 million
D Anton Volchenkov Ottawa $3.2 million
D Derek Morris Phoenix $3.0 million
G Chris Mason St. Louis $3.0 million
C Matt Cullen Ottawa $2.8 million
C-LW Thomas Plekanec Montreal $2.75 million
D Joe Corvo Washington $2.75 million
RW Owen Nolan Minnesota $2.75 million
C John Madden Chicago $2.75 million
D Dan Hamhuis Nashville $2.5 million
D Brian Pothier Carolina $2.5 million
LW Alex Tanguay Tampa Bay $2.5 million
RW Fernando Pisani Edmonton $2.5 million
RW Alexei Ponikarovsky Pittsburgh $2.5 million
RW Scott Walker Washington $2.5 million
C Matthew Lombardi Phoenix $2.35 million
LW Tomas Holmstrom Detroit $2.25 million
D Adrian Aucoin Phoenix $2.25 million
LW Keith Tkachuk St. Louis $2.15 million
RW Teemu Selanne Anaheim $2.0 million
RW Bill Guerin Pittsburgh $2.0 million
C Jeff Halpern Los Angeles $2.0 million
C Doug Weight N.Y. Islanders $2.0 million
D Mark Easton Pittsburgh $2.0 million
LW Ruslan Fedotenko Pittsburgh $1.8 million
D Jordan Leopold Pittsburgh $1.75 million
D Paul Mara Montreal $1.675 million
D Andrew Ference Boston $1.625 million
RW Petr Sykora Minnesota $1.6 million
G Ray Emery Philadelphia $1.5 million
RW Todd Bertuzzi Detroit $1.5 million
C Jason Williams Detroit $1.5 million
C Brendan Morrison Washington $1.5 million
RW Jere Lehtinen Dallas $1.5 million
RW Jamal Mayers Calgary $1.4 million
D Carlo Colaiacovo St. Louis $1.4 million
C Mike Comrie Edmonton $1.25 million
RW Mike Grier Buffalo $1.2 million
LW Matt Cooke Pittsburgh $1.2 million
LW Vaclav Prospal N.Y. Rangers $1.15 million
C Dominic Moore Montreal $1.1 million
D Darryl Sydor St. Louis $1.0 million
C Rob Niedermayer New Jersey $1.0 million
C Robert Lang Phoenix $1.0 million
RW Maxim Afineogenov Atlanta $800,000
D Mike Mottau New Jersey $775,000
C Scott Nichol San Jose $750,000
C Adam Burish Chicago $725,000
D David Hale Tampa Bay $725,000
C Colin Fraser Chicago $700,000
C Manny Malhotra San Jose $700,000
RW Shean Donovan Ottawa $650,000
D Kurtis Foster Tampa Bay $600,000
G Antero Niittymaki Tampa Bay $600,000
D Martin Skoula New Jersey $575,000
G Brent Johnson Pittsburgh $525,000
G Manny Legace Carolina $500,000
Avalanche future
Down on the farm
Players who were under contract to the Avalanche organization and finished the season with the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League (some are not considered “prospects”):
Goaltenders: Tyler Weiman, Trevor Cann, John Grahame
Defensemen: Wes O’Neill, Brett Skinner, Brian Fahey, Derek Peltier, Kevin Shattenkirk, Colby Cohen, Kevin Montgomery, Ray Macias
Centers: Philippe Dupuis, T.J. Hensick, Mark Olver, Mike Carman, Marty Sertich
Right wings: Brian Willsie, Darren Haydar, Harrison Reed
Left wings: Zach Cohen, Tom Fritsche, Justin Mercier
Recent draft choices of note
D Tyson Barrie, Kelowna Rockets
G Peter Delmas, Quebec Remparts
G Brandon Maxwell, Kitchener Rangers
D Stefan Elliott, Saskatoon Blades
D Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga St. Michael’s
D Jonas Holos, Farjestads (Sweden)
D Joel Chouinard, Victoriaville Tigres
C Brad Malone, University of North Dakota
C Kelsey Tessier, Moncton Wildcats
C Paul Carey, Boston College
The Denver Post
Avalanche contract status
Includes players on the playoff roster, plus injured. Positions are those listed on the official Avalanche roster, though some players skated at other positions.
Cap hits — or average annual compensation over the length of contracts — are used because of the salary cap. In many cases, the specific salaries for next season are different than the cap figures.
Expiring contracts, potential unrestricted free agents as of July 1, with 2009-10 cap hits
D Brett Clark ($3.5 million)
D Ruslan Salei ($3.025 million)
D Adam Foote ($3.0 million)
RW Darcy Tucker ($2.25 million)
RW Marek Svatos ($2.05 million)
G Peter Budaj ($1.25 million)
LW David Koci ($575,000)
C Stephane Yelle ($550,000)
C Matt Hendricks ($500,000)
LW Chris Durno ($500,000)
Expiring contracts, potential restricted free agents as of July 1, with 2009-10 cap hits
C Kevin Porter ($954,250)
RW Chris Stewart ($850,000)
C Peter Mueller ($850,000)
LW Brandon Yip ($575,000)
D Kyle Quincey ($525,000)
(Only Quincey is arbitration-eligible)
Under contract through 2010-11, with next season’s cap hits
D Scott Hannan ($4.5 million)
RW Milan Hejduk ($3.0 million)
G Craig Anderson ($1.8 million)
LW TJ Galiardi ($875,000)
C Ryan Stoa ($850,000)
RW David Jones ($837,500)
D Kyle Cumiskey ($600,000)
D Ryan Wilson ($551,667)
Under contract through 2011-12, with next season’s salaries
D John-Michael Liles ($4.2 million)
LW Cody McLeod ($1.03 million)
C Matt Duchene ($900,000)
C Ryan O’Reilly ($880,000)
Under contract through 2014-15, with next season’s cap hit
C Paul Stastny ($6.6 million)
Other notable cap obligations for next season:
D Tom Preissing ($2.75 million). Preissing spent most of the season with Lake Erie.
The Denver Post
