Dater’s Daily Links: Is Bobby Ryan worth an offer by Avs as free agent?

Happy Saturday to all. Hey, the 2019-20 NHL season could finally come to an end tonight, with the Tampa Bay Lightning one win away from claiming their second Stanley Cup. When the next season will start? That’s still anybody’s guess. In the meantime, I have some links and other thoughts about whether the Avs should make an offer for free-agent forward Bobby Ryan, now that he’s an unrestricted free agent after being bought out by Ottawa:

• You know what, I’ve always liked Bobby Ryan as a player. Sure, he can be streaky and he’s had some off-ice struggles. But he’s a very talented offensive player. But, I don’t really see much of a fit with the Avs. He’d have to be a third- or fourth-liner to play on this team, and that’s probably not the greatest way to use him. He’s also 33 and his production has steadily declined in recent years. So, while I’d love to see him on a one-year, prove-it-to-me contract, I don’t think it’ll happen.
• One scout believes Bobby Ryan still has something left in the tank (San Jose Hockey Now)
• The Avs did not buy out any players. Yesterday was the first day teams could do that.
• Patric Hornqvist didn’t seem to take it all that well, being traded by the Penguins to Florida (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
• Top 30 trade candidates to watch this offseason (Hockey News)
• Former Avs goalie Craig Anderson is looking for work (NHL.com)
• The good folks over at one of our family sites, Boston Hockey Now, believe that Tuukka Rask might be a great fit for the Avalanche (Boston Hockey Now)
• One thing to keep in mind with several of the Avs’ restricted free agents: many have arbitration rights. They include: Nikita Zadorov, Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichushkin and Ryan Graves. In fact, of all the Avs’ RFAs, the only one who doesn’t have arbitration rights is Tyson Jost.
• The Avs have to be mindful of that if they try to just retain any of the RFAs at their same salaries. I expect all of them to get a raise (either by the Avs or some other team), and most arbitration cases never actually go to “trial.” But it’s something Avs management has to think about.
• I did a podcast with author Jeff Pearlman as the guest. Not a lot of hockey talk in it, but you youngsters who are interested in a career in the sports media biz might like to listen to it (iTunes)