Aarif Deen
The Colorado Avalanche extended qualifying offers to restricted free agent forwards Fabian Lysell and Zakhar Bardakov ahead of July 1. Qualifying offers can be accepted, or a new contract can be negotiated. But more importantly, it allows the team to retain the rights to both players.
Lysell was acquired from the Boston Bruins over the weekend in a one-for-one trade for Ivan Ivan. The 23-year-old was drafted in the first round of the 2021 draft but hasn’t quite found his stride in the NHL as a full-timer. He’ll likely get an opportunity at some point during the season to see if he fits in Jared Bednar’s system.
Lysell has not yet accepted the offer, but the expectation is that he’ll be under contract before training camp begins.
Bardakov is a bit of a different story. After signing a one-year entry-level contract for the 2025-26 season, Bardakov opted for a return to the KHL. His one year with the Avs ended with one goal and 10 points in 60 games. If Bardakov ever chooses to return to the NHL, the Avalanche will hold his RFA rights and can either sign him or trade him.