Aarif Deen
This part of free agency is where Joe Sakic has excelled in the past. The best of the bunch in this category was Valeri Nichushkin, who in 2019 signed a one-year show-me contract for less than a million dollars after getting bought out by the Dallas Stars. He was just 24 years old.
I’m not sure if that particular kind of player is available, but there are quite a few options Sakic can entertain for cheap. Like, really cheap, to shore up the depth up front.
Jonathan Drouin, LW, Age: 31
I wrote briefly about this on Monday, when it was announced that the St. Louis Blues were buying out the second and final year of Jonathan Drouin’s contract. He is slated to make $1.33 million in each of the next two seasons, as per the terms of the buyout.
With Drouin back on the market and the Avs in need of a depth forward, why not give him another look? Best case scenario, he continues the chemistry he had with Nathan MacKinnon for two seasons, when he posted 56 points in a full season and a highly productive 37 in 43 games the following year.
Worst case, he ends up being a warm body, a useful one in the regular season, and an eventual trade piece at the deadline to upgrade the forward group. No different than what the Avs had in Victor Olofsson last year, but with a much, much higher offensive upside. There’s also a chance he ends up being a 13th or 14th forward when the postseason comes around. Would anyone hate that?
I’m sure Drouin wants to return — he didn’t even want to leave in the first place. But it’s going to take him and his agent accepting far less than they could probably (and likely will) get from other teams.
Patrik Laine, LW, RW, Age: 28
This might be the most intriguing of the bunch. Once the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2016, Patrik Laine has struggled to find a fit in the NHL after storming out of the gate with the Winnipeg Jets early in his career. There are quite a few reasons why he’s reached this point, and you could argue many of them are his own doing (the lack of defensive instincts is a big one).
But there’s one thing Laine is good at. Scoring goals. And lots of them.
As I said, his best years were in Winnipeg. But even since then, Laine has continued to find the back of the net. From 2021-22 to 2025-26, Laine scored 74 goals in 186 games, which comes out to 33 goals per 82 games. And it’s not like any one particular season brought the average up — he’s putting similar numbers up every season.
The 2025-26 season saw him dress in only five games for the Montreal Canadiens, where he recorded one assist. He was making nearly $9 million against the salary cap, and the Habs opted to move on.
On a show-me contract, Laine could have a breakout with the Avs. But like Drouin in 2023, he’ll need to commit to the defensive side of the game. That’s a non-negotiable for Jared Bednar. Does he have what it takes?
Laine’s power play prowess is also a huge plus. The only bummer is he’s another right-shot forward. But you can’t deny he would still help the PP, even if on the second unit or in place of Martin Necas, if Bednar opts to switch things up.
Philipp Kurashev, C, RW, Age: 26
Perhaps the closest comparison you can find to 2019 Nichushkin, Philipp Kurashev is 26 years old and has only ever played for bottom feeder teams in Chicago and San Jose. He’s done well in some of those seasons, but when the Sharks started to fight for a playoff spot this past year, he wasn’t part of their success.
Kurashev had 20 points in 43 games in 2025-26. He plays center or wing, is a lefty, and kills penalties. His career-high was 54 points in 2023-24, but he hasn’t touched those numbers since.
Could an opportunity with the Avalanche help his development? Kurashev is the type of player Bednar could help mold. If he has a willingness to hone in on the defensive side of the puck, he’ll get opportunities to produce offensively. I’m not sure what Kurashev is looking for on the market, but given that he just made $1.2 million, I’m sure it isn’t much.