REPORT: J.T. Compher Will Test Free Agency

The J.T. Compher era in Colorado appears to be coming to an end.

With the acquisition of Ross Colton, the Colorado Avalanche appear set down the middle. That means there’s no room for Compher under the salary cap.

My good pal Peter Baugh of The Athletic was first to report that the center will go to market on July 1 and test free agency.

Hearing that J.T. Compher will go to market July 1. The #Avs are almost certainly moving on from the center, who has been with the team since the 2016-17 season.

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) June 28, 2023

It was reported the other day that the Avalanche had not closed the door on bringing back the 28 year old center, but they were going to have some competition. With a weak free agent class, Compher will be in high demand, with the Chicago Blackhawks expected to be one of the teams that will pursue him.

The Illinois native has been with the Avalanche since 2017, and has registered 194 points in 423 NHL games.

On the open market, Compher will likely get a big paid a lot of money on a long-term deal. Daily Faceoff projects his new contract to come in at $5.3 million per year over 5 years. That’s something the Avalanche simply cannot afford, especially after the Colton move.

A lot can change in two years. With this news, as well as the news that Erik Johnson is unlikely to return, the Avalanche will look a lot different than the team that lifted the Stanley Cup just a little over a year ago.

That’s the reality of the NHL with the salary cap in place.

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