Dater column: Who stays and who goes from Avs free agent list?

After a couple of days off, hello again. I’ll tell you what, it’s been weird being back in Thornton, back in my home, back where I live again. I’ve had to re-acquaint myself to my life, pre-Edmonton playoff bubble life, a life I lived for 50 days. Where do I always leave my keys again? Oh yeah, there. What time is the best time to buy stuff at King Soopers again? Oh yeah, around 8 p.m. That’s when they start marking stuff like the salmon at half off. Who are the Avs again? Oh yeah, the team that should be playing still right now.

Alas, they’re not. It’s still a bit of a shock they aren’t. I really thought they would hold on to win Game 7 after Vladislav Namestnikov scored that goal with 3:40 left in regulation. I probably jinxed it by thinking that. Sorry. Actually, I do remember thinking, in my seat alone in Rogers Place: “There’s still too much time left on the clock.”

The Avs had three one-goal leads in a Game 7, including two in the third period, and they couldn’t hold it. Injuries or no, the Avs have only themselves to blame for this. A killer instinct remains as elusive as Bigfoot for this team.

I’m going to go through the Avs’ list of free agents – restricted and unrestricted, as of now – and give some quick, Sept. 8, in the Year of Our Lord, 2020, opinions as to whether or not I think they’ll be back.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS, (chance of staying):

Andre Burakovsky (100%) – He had a good playoffs, with 17 points in 15 games. The Avs need to re-sign this guy, and they will. His cap hit was $3.25 million. I would anticipate a new deal of something like three years, $12 million.

Tyson Jost (20%) – I think the Avs will look to deal him. He had zero points in his last 10 playoff games. One point in 12 overall. Yet, he is still young (22) and a former first-round pick. The Avs won’t just give him away. The key will be finding the right trade partner. If it doesn’t happen, the Avs will retain his rights and maybe just see what happens next year.

Valeri Nichushkin (85%) – He salvaged what had been a somewhat poor playoff showing with a couple of good games to close out the postseason. I think he had a fine regular season, and deserves a nice new deal. He made $850,000 this year, so I see something like a two-year, $3 million pact.

Nikita Zadorov (25%) – I think he’s trade bait now too. Just seems like the Avs and Big Z need to move on from each other. Z didn’t help his cause by looking completely gassed on the overtime goal that ended the season. Still, you can’t just give away big D-men. Joe Sakic needs to get something decent in return.

Ryan Graves (100%) – Led the league in plus-minus, and played a lot of minutes in the playoffs. Did he have a few rough moments in the postseason? Yeah, but he had lots of good ones too. I expect a two-year, $5 million deal, something like that. Maybe more.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS 

Vladislav Namestnikov (20%) – I liked the way he played the last couple of games, and think he’s a useful players. But the Avs have rarely signed rental unrestricted free agents. I think they should try here though.

Matt Nieto (5%) – I think his time is done with the Avs. Logan O’Connor’s play in the postseason might have made Joe Sakic’s decision easier whether to offer him a new deal of not. His play seemed to shrink as the playoffs went along.

Mark Barberio (0%) – Never played in the postseason, rarely in the regular season.

Kevin Connauton (50%) – I liked the way he played in the postseason. He’s a good depth D-man. I think Avs will make a run at keeping him.

Michael Hutchinson (10%) – It was a nice story while it lasted. Maybe the Avs will circle back to him if they can’t land another goalie in the off-season.

Colin Wilson (0%) – Injuries caught up with him.