Denver Post 21-22
Aug 25, 2021 22:35:46 GMT -5
Glenn-Philadelphia, Scott-New York, and 2 more like this
Post by Matt-Colorado on Aug 25, 2021 22:35:46 GMT -5
Denver Post
8/25/21
5 UFA signings announced, no major signings to follow.
Last years Colorado Pioneers squad was incredibly top heavy. Basically just Rantanen, Draisaitl, O'Reilly, and the resurgent Spezza carrying the team offensively. Mix in below average depth, a decent defense and somewhat average and inconsistent goaltending and you yourself a team that can fight for a playoff spot. Hell, in last year's Patrick Division that was good enough to actually win the division. Problem is once you win the Patrick Division, you have to play playoff caliber teams. Once again the Pioneers got smoked by a 7th seed in a 5 game series that really wasn't all that competitive.
Heading into 2021/2022 with Oregon looking like a powerhouse and the always stacked Alaska joining the division the writing is on the wall, and everyone can see it: Colorado needs to be better behind the first line to really contend.
Owner/GM Matt Taylor went to work at the beginning of the offseason to try to find a second line and more:
Two years on the farm and 2019 first round pick Oliver Wahlstrom appears ready to make the jump to the G. Second line RW, check.
Rumor is Taylor is extremely fed up with Jordan Binnington's on ice antics and erratic, inconsistent play. Sources indicate the only reason he's still on the roster is his cap hit--that and the team wasn't willing/able to commit to paying Brossoit long term. With Francouz out for the year, Colorado entered the offseason with one active goalie and Taylor doesn't feel Binnington is the right guy, at least not this year.
To address this, Colorado send Chicago this years and next years first round picks in order to jump up and take Ilya Sorokin.
Sorokin looks like a quality goalie, ready to start one day one. Starting goalie, check.
Fun fact, Sorokin is just the third goalie Taylor has drafted, and the first one since 2012.
Today Colorado signed an entire line, in fact. Bolstering that bottom six depth that was severely lacking.
- Ryan Getzlaf is back under contract. The veteran center went to market to see what was out there but wound up coming back to Denver. Several sources suggest he's got a multi-year deal, 2 or 3 years. Word is he'll play a checking role on the third line.
- Matt Duchene, once coveted by Taylor as a potential point per game center, finally lands in Colorado appearing to have his best days behind him. Jury is still out on what's left for Duchene, but Colorado has had good luck taking in washed up players and seeing them resurrect their careers. Look for Duchene to start the year centering the 4th line. Good chance this contract is for 4 years.
- At 27 Jujhar Khaira has waited a while to get his shot. He's been in the Barons system for 7 years and looks like he's ready to carve out a full time role as an irritating, hit everything, 3rd line winger. He'll play with Getzlaf and Richardson on the third line, contract is rumored to be somewhere around 2 to 4 years.
- After two years in Hershey, the former 11th overall pick in 2014, Olli Maata as signed a multi year deal with Colorado. A depth player right now, but if he's paired with a solid defender like Graves, he might not get too exposed.
- The big one. Taylor went full Jerry Jones and wrote one of the most expensive checks in league history on day one of UFA.
"We knew we needed a left wing. It had to be a guy who could play on the second line at the minimum if not challenge for a spot on the top line. We explored about a dozen options through trade, got real close to shaking hands and making a trade three times...but it just didn't work out. Myself, the scouts and the rest of my staff were going nuts, working overtime trying to get a stud left wing in here. Then Alaska tagged Backstrom and let Ovechkin walk. That was a shocker, a real game changer for us. I told our guys that as soon as the new league year started we needed to be in touch with his agent. We had just enough cap space to really go for Ovechkin and still sign the rest of our depth targets, and with only 2 UFAs and no RFAs to replace next year, I figure we had a shot to bring the Great Eight to Colorado. We knew most teams with decent cap had at least kicked the tires on him, so I swung for the fence...initially we offered 11.5, then I got nervous and I bumped the offer up by 1 million...then I psyched myself out again and bumped the offer up to 13.5...an insane number, but for me it was the right move to make."
Alex Ovechkin comes in to Colorado after 11 seasons with the Alaska franchise, bringing 934 regular season games of experience and 476 goals. If everything goes well, his presence alone will take pressure off the big three, allow the coaching staff to mix the players in the top 6 around a bit, and see what happens. Word is Ovechkin signed a 2 year deal with a team option after the second year.
With 1.5 million in cap space, and 12 players to sign at a minimum, Colorado is done until the 100K rounds of UFA.
Cheers.
8/25/21
5 UFA signings announced, no major signings to follow.
Last years Colorado Pioneers squad was incredibly top heavy. Basically just Rantanen, Draisaitl, O'Reilly, and the resurgent Spezza carrying the team offensively. Mix in below average depth, a decent defense and somewhat average and inconsistent goaltending and you yourself a team that can fight for a playoff spot. Hell, in last year's Patrick Division that was good enough to actually win the division. Problem is once you win the Patrick Division, you have to play playoff caliber teams. Once again the Pioneers got smoked by a 7th seed in a 5 game series that really wasn't all that competitive.
Heading into 2021/2022 with Oregon looking like a powerhouse and the always stacked Alaska joining the division the writing is on the wall, and everyone can see it: Colorado needs to be better behind the first line to really contend.
Owner/GM Matt Taylor went to work at the beginning of the offseason to try to find a second line and more:
Two years on the farm and 2019 first round pick Oliver Wahlstrom appears ready to make the jump to the G. Second line RW, check.
Rumor is Taylor is extremely fed up with Jordan Binnington's on ice antics and erratic, inconsistent play. Sources indicate the only reason he's still on the roster is his cap hit--that and the team wasn't willing/able to commit to paying Brossoit long term. With Francouz out for the year, Colorado entered the offseason with one active goalie and Taylor doesn't feel Binnington is the right guy, at least not this year.
To address this, Colorado send Chicago this years and next years first round picks in order to jump up and take Ilya Sorokin.
Sorokin looks like a quality goalie, ready to start one day one. Starting goalie, check.
Fun fact, Sorokin is just the third goalie Taylor has drafted, and the first one since 2012.
Today Colorado signed an entire line, in fact. Bolstering that bottom six depth that was severely lacking.
- Ryan Getzlaf is back under contract. The veteran center went to market to see what was out there but wound up coming back to Denver. Several sources suggest he's got a multi-year deal, 2 or 3 years. Word is he'll play a checking role on the third line.
- Matt Duchene, once coveted by Taylor as a potential point per game center, finally lands in Colorado appearing to have his best days behind him. Jury is still out on what's left for Duchene, but Colorado has had good luck taking in washed up players and seeing them resurrect their careers. Look for Duchene to start the year centering the 4th line. Good chance this contract is for 4 years.
- At 27 Jujhar Khaira has waited a while to get his shot. He's been in the Barons system for 7 years and looks like he's ready to carve out a full time role as an irritating, hit everything, 3rd line winger. He'll play with Getzlaf and Richardson on the third line, contract is rumored to be somewhere around 2 to 4 years.
- After two years in Hershey, the former 11th overall pick in 2014, Olli Maata as signed a multi year deal with Colorado. A depth player right now, but if he's paired with a solid defender like Graves, he might not get too exposed.
- The big one. Taylor went full Jerry Jones and wrote one of the most expensive checks in league history on day one of UFA.
"We knew we needed a left wing. It had to be a guy who could play on the second line at the minimum if not challenge for a spot on the top line. We explored about a dozen options through trade, got real close to shaking hands and making a trade three times...but it just didn't work out. Myself, the scouts and the rest of my staff were going nuts, working overtime trying to get a stud left wing in here. Then Alaska tagged Backstrom and let Ovechkin walk. That was a shocker, a real game changer for us. I told our guys that as soon as the new league year started we needed to be in touch with his agent. We had just enough cap space to really go for Ovechkin and still sign the rest of our depth targets, and with only 2 UFAs and no RFAs to replace next year, I figure we had a shot to bring the Great Eight to Colorado. We knew most teams with decent cap had at least kicked the tires on him, so I swung for the fence...initially we offered 11.5, then I got nervous and I bumped the offer up by 1 million...then I psyched myself out again and bumped the offer up to 13.5...an insane number, but for me it was the right move to make."
Alex Ovechkin comes in to Colorado after 11 seasons with the Alaska franchise, bringing 934 regular season games of experience and 476 goals. If everything goes well, his presence alone will take pressure off the big three, allow the coaching staff to mix the players in the top 6 around a bit, and see what happens. Word is Ovechkin signed a 2 year deal with a team option after the second year.
With 1.5 million in cap space, and 12 players to sign at a minimum, Colorado is done until the 100K rounds of UFA.
Cheers.