Evan’s NHL Daily: Free Agency Projections, Avalanche Mailbag

With the opening of NHL free agency just over a month away, projections for what the top players on the market will make are starting to come out. Some of the numbers players are projected to get are…insane.

With the Colorado Avalanche, we took a handful of questions for the mailbag, including whether or not Chris MacFarland is safe, and if Corey Perry is someone the team should target in free agency.

All that and more in this Wednesday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

The Avalanche were interested in Kyle Dubas six years ago, would they have any interest today? And Josh Manson had a tough year in Colorado. Is there any chance the team shops him this summer? Just a few of the questions asked for the mailbag.

The NHL Draft is about a month away, and we’re closing in on our coverage for the draft, but we checked out some of the mock drafts that have been released. Five different mock drafts, and five different players mocked to Colorado.

On Wednesday, part one of a three part film room series on Nikolai Kovalenko will be released, with part one focusing on his physicality and fearlessness, which sometimes puts him in some tough positions.

NHL Free Agency

The other day, we talked about some of the projections that Evolving Hockey put out for free agency. That’s one model. Another model was released on Tuesday, using AFP Analytics.

J.T. Compher? He’s projected to get a 5-year contract, averaging $5.3 million per year. Too rich for Colorado’s blood. Evan Rodrigues is projected to get 3 years and $3.7 million, which isn’t too far off from what we talked about the other day.

There aren’t a ton of projections that you look at and feel good about, until you maybe get to the bottom. I mentioned David Kampf a few weeks back, and his projection isn’t too bad. The same with Sean Monahan, who would be a good reclamation project. And of course, Jonathan Drouin, although even $2 million might be too much for me.

Looking at some of the projections for the top defensemen does make you wonder just what Devon Toews could get next summer…

NHL Playoffs

Dallas, led by some horrendous decision making by their Captain Jamie Benn, got off to a brutal start and never recovered. Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights are now just one win away from the Stanley Cup final.

Jamie Benn, on the other hand, deserves some time off after an extremely dirty cross-check on Mark Stone.

Major penalty and game misconduct for Jamie Benn after he cross-checked Mark Stone in the face#TexasHockey | #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/JaRtg6YJPQ

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights (@HockeyDaily365) May 24, 2023

Alex Barkov, meanwhile, could be an option in Game Four for Florida.

Around the NHL

PGHN: Pittsburgh apparently really wants Kyle Dubas, but is John Chayka in the mix to join their front office?

BHN: The Bruins have two very good goalies. With limited cap space, could they deal one of them?

NYIHN: The Islanders appear set to play the Rangers outdoors next year.

WHN: Spencer Carbery is a hot name on the coaching market, and the Capitals are one of the teams very interested.

MHN: The Canadiens have a good one in Lane Hutson.

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