Toews could cost $5 million … Saad may not be with the Avs long-term
Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic passed again on higher priced free agents and went the trade route by acquiring forward Brandon Saad and defenseman Devon Toews.
“We were looking for a second-line player (and) maybe a top-four D-man,” Sakic said after the Saad trade but hours before the deal for Toews was finalized.
Darren Dreger said they improved their team in two areas and didn’t have to ‘swing for the fences.’
Toews might end up playing on the top pairing beside Cale Makar. First, the Avs need to sign the RFA who could command $5 million a season.
The Avs have about $6 million in cap space with 19 players under contract.
Saad has a year left on his deal and may not be extended as the Avs will have to hand out new deals to Makar and Gabriel Landeskog.
Top remaining NHL free agents
TSN: Top remaining unrestricted free agents
| RK | PLAYER | TEAM | POS | 19-20 |
| 1 | Mike Hoffman | FLA | LW | $5.19 million |
| 2 | Erik Haula | FLA | C | $2.75 million |
| 3 | Corey Perry | DAL | RW | $3.1 million |
| 4 | Mikael Granlund | NSH | LW | $5.75 million |
| 5 | Anthony Duclair | OTT | LW | $1.65 million |
| 6 | Sami Vatanen | CAR | RD | $4.88 million |
| 7 | Zdeno Chara | BOS | LD | $2 million |
| 8 | Andreas Athanasiou | EDM | RW | $3 million |
| 9 | Carl Soderberg | ARI | C | $4.75 million |
| 10 | Travis Hamonic | CGY | RD | $3.86 million |
| 11 | Ilya Kovalchuk | WSH | LW | $700,000 |
| 12 | Matt Martin | NYI | LW | $2.5 million |
| 13 | Conor Sheary | PIT | LW | $3 million |
| 14 | Michael Frolik | BUF | RW | $4.3 million |
| 15 | Colin Wilson | COL | LW | $2.6 million |
| 16 | Mirco Mueller | NJD | LD | $1.4 million |
| 17 | Alex Galchenyuk | MIN | C | $4.9 million |
| 18 | Melker Karlsson | SJS | RW | $2 million |
| 19 | Dominik Simon | PIT | RW | $750,000 |
| 20 | Trevor Lewis | LAK | RW | $2 million |
| 21 | Ben Hutton | LAK | LD | $1.5 million |
| 22 | Andy Greene | NYI | LD | $5 million |
| 23 | Ryan Miller | ANA | G | $1.13 million |
| 24 | Ron Hainsey | OTT | RD | $3.5 million |
| 25 | Michael Del Zotto | ANA | LD | $750,000 |
| 26 | Drake Caggiula | CHI | LW | $1.5 million |
| 27 | Madison Bowey | DET | RD | $1 million |
| 28 | Jan Rutta | TBL | RD | $1.3 million |
| 29 | Brian Boyle | FLA | LW/C | $940,000 |
| 30 | Karl Alzner | MTL | LD | $4.63 million |
| 31 | Michael Grabner | ARI | LW | $3.35 million |
| 32 | Frederik Gauthier | TOR | C | $675,000 |
| 33 | Riley Sheahan | EDM | LW/C | $900,000 |
| 34 | Jimmy Howard | DET | G | $4 million |
| 35 | Dmitry Kulikov | WPG | LD | $4.33 million |
| 36 | Josh Leivo | VAN | RW | $1.5 million |
| 37 | Craig Anderson | OTT | G | $4.75 million |