The Colorado Avalanche have initiated a significant roster overhaul at the commencement of the 2025 NHL offseason, signaling their intent to compete for the Stanley Cup in the 2025-26 season. Several moves have been made to free up cap space, acquire new talent, and address areas of need within the team.
One of the most notable transactions was the trade of forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets. In return, the Avalanche received forward prospect Gavin Brindley, a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 77), and a conditional second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. This trade freed up nearly $8 million in cap space. Coyle had one year remaining on his $5.25 million contract, while Wood had a four-year, $2.5 million contract. Columbus Blue Jackets General Manager Don Waddell expressed excitement about adding Coyle and Wood, praising their experience, two-way play, speed, and physicality.
The Avalanche also re-signed restricted free agent (RFA) defenseman Sam Malinski to a one-year deal worth $1.4 million. Malinski, who played in 76 games last season, will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the contract. Additionally, the team extended goaltender Trent Miner's contract for two years at $1.55 million, with a cap hit of $775,000 per season. Furthermore, the Avalanche re-signed T.J. Tynan and Jack Ahcan to one-year contracts.
However, the Avalanche have parted ways with some players, allowing Jonathan Drouin and Ryan Lindgren to enter free agency. Lindgren has since signed with the Seattle Kraken, while Drouin signed with the New York Islanders. Other UFAs, including Erik Johnson, Tucker Poolman, Jimmy Vesey, and Joel Kiviranta, were not re-signed before free agency began but could potentially return to Colorado.
During the 2025 NHL Draft, the Avalanche selected defenseman Francesco Dell'Elce in the third round (77th overall), blueliner Linus Funck in the fourth round (118th overall), and forward Nolan Roed in the seventh round (214th overall). Nick Pryor, the Avalanche's Director of Amateur Scouting, emphasized the importance of skating and speed in their selections.
These moves reflect the Avalanche's strategy to retool their roster while maintaining a core group of players who have already experienced Stanley Cup success. Key players like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Gabriel Landeskog are expected to remain central to the team's aspirations.
Looking ahead, the Avalanche's projected lineup for opening night is taking shape. It may look something like this:
Notably, utility forward Logan O'Connor is expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 season due to hip surgery, potentially placing him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and providing the Avalanche with additional cap flexibility.
With the 2025-26 season on the horizon, the Avalanche's front office, led by General Manager Chris MacFarland and President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic, are aiming to strike a balance between maintaining their core strengths and adding new pieces to enhance their competitiveness.
