The market for free agent forwards got a little smaller Tuesday as Paul Stastny signed a 1 year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes for $1.5 million. We don't know if the Colorado Avalanche were interested in bringing Stastny back to Denver, but can we assume if they wanted to they could have easily done so? The fact they didn't bring him back leads us to believe they were looking elsewhere in the FA market. But where? Chris and Kyle talk about those forward free agents remaining and if the Avs co...
Aug 24, 2022•35 min•Ep. 576
In the end, it was likely the term. The Colorado Avalanche said goodbye to a fan favorite yesterday as Nazem Kadri signed a 7 year, $7 million AAV deal with the Calgary Flames. Kadri's patience paid off in the number of years on the deal, while likely taking a little less than he was hoping for. What does this mean for the Avalanche? Well, they have no doubt been preparing for this situation and have a plan B and C ready to go. Just what that is we will have to wait to see. But this without a do...
Aug 19, 2022•35 min•Ep. 575
Fans always hate a winner. And when a team is coming off a championship victory, many fan bases circle their calendars for when their team plays you. That isn't necessarily the case for the Colorado Avalanche heading into this season. If you were not a Tampa Bay Lightning fan, you likely were rooting for the Avs. Why? You didn't want that have to deal with the Tampa fan base rubbing it in for another season. The Avalanche prevented that. So for at least this season, those people who were rooting...
Aug 18, 2022•36 min•Ep. 574
It has been an eventful offseason for the Chicago Blackhawks. Many trades have happened and many draft picks have occurred. All of this coming a full year after a letter was sent to Hawks fans asking them to be patient as they rebuild. Now the Blackhawks are looking at rebuild version 2.0 and Jack Bushman is here to tell us all about it. Jack also lets us know what to expect with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. When will they be moved? What will the Blackhawks want in return? What teams could t...
Aug 15, 2022•43 min•Ep. 573
Nathan MacKinnon is heading into the 2022-2023 season on the last year of the most team-friendly contract in sports. We all know a big pay increase is heading his way but now Adrian Dater is reporting MacKinnon is looking to become the highest paid player in the league. His timing could not be better as the league's salary cap is expected to increase significantly after this coming season. So a record-breaking deal is not out of the question. As for another Avalanche player looking for a his pay...
Aug 10, 2022•37 min•Ep. 572
The Nazem Kadri saga continues. While news has been quiet since the Islanders rumor last week, now we hear that maybe some of the reason Kadri remains unsigned is that he is not budging from asking for $9 million per season. Either way, the story is not over yet. We also discuss the NHL's offseason. Once the draft concludes and free agency gets quiet, there isn't much the NHL does to keep the fans interested. Leagues like the NFL and NBA seem to have year-round coverage that fans soak up. Should...
Aug 08, 2022•39 min•Ep. 571
He gets an A+. Nazem Kadri gets an A+ across the board for his season grade and that should come as no surprise to anyone reading this. Kadri had a career year and not only will he cash in next season, but he gets the coveted Locked on Avalanche A+ season grade. We also take a look at what the legacy will be of our head coach Jared Bednar. Bednar has been with the Avalanche through the highs and lows of coaching a sports team. So it begs the question, if Joe Sakic didn't fire Bednar based on eve...
Aug 04, 2022•34 min•Ep. 570
We have all been waiting patiently for a conclusion to the Nazem Kadri free agency story. Are we finally at the final chapter? A tweet posted by someone who knows someone who heard about something has the two fanbases up in arms. One thinks they have landed Kadri. The other is saying their goodbyes. Should we be doing so? We also hand out a couple more grades for the season in Jack and Erik Johnson. One stat, in particular, was a surprise to Chris when it came to Jack Johnson. And since it is th...
Aug 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 569
Every new hockey season you learn from the season before and use it to make yourself and your team better. The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a Stanley Cup championship. So what have they learned from last year that they can take into defending that championship? We also answer several listener questions! Such as the chances of the Avs repeating. Who's the fastest skater? What would the Avs had to have given up if they were in the Matthew Tkachuk bidding? And is Gabriel Landeskog the best loo...
Jul 28, 2022•43 min•Ep. 568
It's becoming an offseason tradition here at Locked on Avalanche. Chris and Kyle are not only hockey fanatics, but don't shy away from their geekdom. Today we bring you the 3rd Annual, Avalanche as Marvel Characters. We take some of the biggest names in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and cast them using our very own Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club. For this year we have a special addition to the casting call. With Marvel announcing an all-new Fantastic Four movie, we cast an Avalanche player as th...
Jul 26, 2022•35 min•Ep. 567
We have said our piece on how we look at Alexander Georgiev as the Colorado Avalanche new starting goalie. Why not bring in the host of the team who we traded with to get him! Jon Chik, host of Locked on NY Rangers joins to give us the low down on Georgiev and how it would benefit the Avs to let him play as many games as possible. Did he change Chris' mind at all about how he can perform as the Avs goalie? Did it force Kyle to admit Frankie is still in the backup roll? All of that and more on th...
Jul 22, 2022•37 min•Ep. 566
It has been reported that the Colorado Avalanche and Nathan MacKinnon have been in early talks trying to hammer out an extension for the superstar forward that would kick into effect after next season. It's not something the Avs feel needs to be rushed into, but also something they would like done so it is one less thing to worry about next offseason. But does the Johnny Gaudreau move to Columbus have the Avs thinking they need to move quicker than originally thought so they are not in a positio...
Jul 20, 2022•37 min•Ep. 565
At the start of every new season there are always those players you keep an eye on that could potentially take the next step and claim their spot on the Colorado Avalanche roster. We take a look at a handful of those players, discuss what we like about them and why we feel they could sneak themselves onto a roster spot to start the 2022-2023 season. We also catch up on some season grades from last year with J.T. Compher and Pavel Francouz. Finally, Jack Johnson did something we all wish we could...
Jul 19, 2022•38 min•Ep. 564
After a very long and busy Colorado Avalanche season we needed a little break and decided to take that break during free agency week of all things. But we're back and we can still talk about the moves the Avs made. On the ice and in the front office. Chris MacFarland has been around for all of this Avalanche success, he just doesn't get the recognition Joe Sakic does. It had been rumored Sakic would either retire or take a higher up job with the franchise if the Avs won the Cup, and that is exac...
Jul 18, 2022•37 min•Ep. 563
The newest member of the Colorado Avalanche has his contract. After being acquired for three draft picks. RFA Alexander Georgiev sign a three year contract for $3.4 AAV. Which means the Avs will have a very modest $5.4 million dollars total for both goalies. If it works, it's genius. If it fails, many questions will be asked. We also put our mythical GM caps on and throw out the offers we would make for three key Avs players. What would we offer UFA Val Nichushkin, RFA Arturri Lehkonen and what ...
Jul 11, 2022•41 min•Ep. 562
Joe Sakic met with Darcy Kuemper and his agent Wednesday. Many believed that was the beginning of negotiations that would eventually lead to the Stanley Cup winning goalie to come back to the Avs and continue to be their starting goalie. About 24 hours later, Sakic and the Avalanche announced a trade that sent three picks (3rd & 5th this year. 3rd next year) to the New York Rangers in exchange for Igor Shesterkin's backup, Alexander Georgiev. It's a risky move for the Avalanche considering t...
Jul 08, 2022•34 min•Ep. 561
And we are already on to next season! The NHL released the full season schedule for next season and there are some interesting dates and times for the Colorado Avalanche. We now know that the Avalanche will welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to Ball Arena on their opening night to raise their Championship banner to the rafters. Win or lose that game, the Avs won't have much time to celebrate the banner since they play the very next day in Calgary. Nothing like starting off the season with a back to ...
Jul 07, 2022•40 min•Ep. 560
With everyone focused on the Colorado Avalanche bringing back their big name free agents like Nazem Kadri and Val Nichushkin, the Avs made their first move of the off season in bringing back a player they acquired at the trade deadline this past season. Andrew Cogliano signed a one year deal for $1.25 million to stay and defend the championship in Denver. We also got word that Erik Johnson, who many thought could take the high road and walk away following a Stanley Cup win, will in fact NOT be d...
Jul 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 559
He may work with Toronto Maple Leafs superfan Steve Dangle, but Producer Drew Livingstone of Sportsnet roots for the Colorado Avalanche. If you haven't seen his celebration video when the Avs won the Cup, it is a must watch. Drew, like all of us, were filled with excitement after the Avs sealed their Stanley Cup victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning and he joins us to share his experience. Drew also shares his thoughts on the pending Avalanche UFA's and who he thinks will stay and who will go. We...
Jul 05, 2022•43 min•Ep. 558
I guess the off-season is officially underway! Nazem Kadri was a guest on a sports show and stated that while the Colorado Avalanche are first on his list of teams to sign with, he has "shown what his worth is". The Avalanche clearly want Kadri back, but will this be a situation where the two sides are so far apart he moves on? Or can Joe Sakic continue to work his magic at the bargaining table? We also take a look at some injuries we are just starting to get clarification on. We knew Darcy Kuem...
Jun 30, 2022•33 min•Ep. 557
While we are clearly still in celebration mode and will be for a while, it's always a good thing to look forward and guess what is to come for this Avalanche team next season. Vegas already loves the Avs chances to repeat as they are the favorites to do it again. The question is should they be? Why are teams who win a championship immediately the favorites for next season when a pick hasn't been drafted or a free agent has been signed? And for the Avalanche, there's a lot of signing to do. Joe S...
Jun 29, 2022•39 min•Ep. 556
Have we come down from the clouds yet? We haven't. One day after the Colorado Avalanche secured their 3rd Stanley Cup in franchise history, the emotions are still on high. The images coming out of the Cup's journey from Tampa and Denver has been exciting to see, and it's just getting started as we all wait for the victory parade on Thursday. For today's episode, we thought we would take a look at the order in which the Cup was passed around to the Avalanche players, and then look at that player ...
Jun 28, 2022•43 min•Ep. 555
They did it. They really did it. The Colorado Avalanche had one mission at the beginning of the season. It wasn't to win the Presidents' Trophy, it wasn't to get out of the 2nd round of the playoffs, it wasn't for Gabriel Landeskog's hair to look like Fabio flying in the breeze. It was to win the Stanley Cup. And on June 26th, 2022 the Avalanche did just that. The turnaround this team had after the horrible 2016-2017 season is something teams will look at as a blueprint to how to go from bottom ...
Jun 27, 2022•38 min•Ep. 554
Everything was right where the Avalanche wanted it to be heading into Game 5. Avs up 3-1 in the series, back on home ice, the Stanley Cup in the building. But the Tampa Bay Lightning came to play and put everything they had into Game 5 to take a 3-2 win on a late 3rd period goal. Now the series heads back to Tampa for Game 6 on Sunday where the Avalanche will have their second chance to put an end to the series. Both teams had good and bad moments. There were times it seemed like the Avalanche w...
Jun 25, 2022•42 min•Ep. 553
Game 4 was easily a classic so we had to bring Adam back to get his take on how the Lightning are feeling after the OT loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Are Lightning fans as upset over the too many men on the ice as coach Jon Cooper is? How much are the Lightning relying on past experiences to keep the series alive? We also take a look ahead to tonight's all important Game 5. Can the Avalanche end this on home ice and raise the Cup in front of their home fans? Predictions are made! Fun is had by ...
Jun 24, 2022•38 min•Ep. 552
Nazem Kadri was never going to miss the Stanley Cup Finals in their entirety. He wasn't even going to come back for a one off and just be there for the end. He wanted to get back on the ice ASAP and make a mark on this series. Boy, did he. A classic of a game that saw both the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning going back and forth, headed into overtime for the second time this series. And just like the first time the Avalanche went home the winner. This time it was Kadri, playing in his...
Jun 23, 2022•34 min•Ep. 551
The final vote was oh so close, but Cale Makar beat our Nashville Predators Roman Josi as the leagues best defenseman to take home the Norris Trophy. It is the first ever Norris won by a member of the Colorado Avalanche or Quebec Nordiques. Makar was also named to the first team NHL All-Star Team. Joe Sakic has been ridiculously absent from a nomination for the Jim Gregory Award for the leagues best GM. That came to an end this year as Sakic was finally among one of the three finalists, which th...
Jun 22, 2022•34 min•Ep. 550
It started off not so bad, but then it just went downhill fast and the Avalanche could not recover. The Tampa Bay Lightning took advantage of an out of sync Colorado Avalanche squad and do what good teams do, made them pay for it. But the Avs scored two goals before the Lightning scored one. The only problem was one of the Avs goals was recanted after a challenge and a Val Nichushkin goal was reversed for the Avs being offside. Bad turnovers, struggling to get the puck out of the defensive zone ...
Jun 21, 2022•39 min•Ep. 549
Wow. Well that was fun! At least for Avalanche fans. The Colorado Avalanche went out and played like a team possessed against the two time defending champs in the Tampa Bay Lightning. So much went wrong for Tampa while absolutely everything went right for the Avs. If there was any question about if the Avs could beat a top tier goalie, those questions have all been collected, stuffed into an envelope and locked away in a case sunk to the bottom of the ocean. All seven goals were against the grea...
Jun 19, 2022•35 min•Ep. 548
Adam Denker of Locked on Lightning is back again for a special Stanley Cup Crossover! Adam gives us his thoughts on the Game 1 Avalanche OT victory. What he thought of the Anthony Cirelli tripping penalty on Cale Makar and what adjustments the Lightning need to make for Game 2. Chris and Kyle discuss the same as far as any adjustments the Avs need to make, and they also discuss the wide discrepancy between the two teams in regards to time on ice. The Lightning were much more balanced than the Av...
Jun 17, 2022•40 min•Ep. 547
