The Avalanche could go big with Taylor Hall or Marc-Andre Fleury
Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: The Colorado Avalanche will likely be looking to add at least three players in free agency when it opens on Friday.
The Avs have 15 players under contract with about $21.5 million in salary cap space with RFAs Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Graves looking for raises.
Three areas the Avs will be looking to improve on are goaltending, top-six scoring and some depth and toughness up front.
The Avalanche could look to go real big in free agent winger Taylor Hall, who’d fit nicely on their second-line. Before the New Jersey Devils traded Hall to the Arizona Coyotes last season, the Avs had been in talks with the Devils.
NHL Networks Brian Lawton said the Avs could look at packing their first-round pick (No. 25) and go after a goaltender – possibly Marc-Andre Fleury – or they could go the free agent route for a goalie.
“I do think they will look at trading the pick,” said Lawton, the former NHL forward, player agent, and Tampa Bay executive. “I’ve talked to a bunch of different GMs and they’re all talking about (No. 25) in both directions.”
The Avs have two goalies under contract for next season – Philipp Grubauer at $3.3 million (one-year left) and Pavel Francouz at $2 million (two years left).
Lightning GM faces some tough decisions
TVA Sports: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien Brisebois knows that he is going to have to make some really tough decisions with regards to his Stanley Cup roster.
The Lightning are $5.33 million below the cap with only 15 players under contract.
“It will mean that players with contracts will have to leave the organization. If I had the power to bring our group back as is, that would be my preference. But that’s our reality in a world where the salary cap will remain stable for the next season and probably for several seasons.”
Brisebois said that restricted free agents Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak are priorities.
“There are others who are under contract that I like, who are good players with good contracts, and who will have to leave the organization. This is our reality. At least they won the cup and we can share that together. “