In want of wage cap house, the Colorado Avalanche created some on Friday by buying and selling Charlie Coyle and Miles Wooden to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In return, the Blue Jackets traded prospect ahead Gavin Brindley, a 2025 third-round choose, and a conditional 2027 second-round choose to Colorado.
Let’s take a fast look at what all of it means from each groups’ views.
The Avs secured a second-line heart by signing Brock Nelson — added on the commerce deadline — to a three-year contract extension value $7.5 million yearly. However that resulted within the Avs having simply $1.2 million in cap house coming into Friday, per PuckPedia. On condition that the Avs have a six-player unrestricted free agent class — led by Ryan Lindgren — and it meant they wanted to do one thing.
Coyle was one of many strongest candidates to get moved. His arrival on the commerce deadline gave the Avs probably the greatest top-nine heart dynamics within the NHL, behind Nathan MacKinnon and Nelson. However when a group is going through a cap disaster, does it make sense to pay a third-line heart $5.25 million AAV when there are extra team-friendly choices obtainable?
Wooden was one other potential commerce candidate, given he has 4 years remaining at $2.5 million AAV. Accidents and inconsistencies led to his scoring simply 13 targets the previous two seasons with the Avs — the identical quantity he had in his ultimate full season with the New Jersey Devils.
However that additionally leaves the Avs needing to handle their bottom-six forwards — along with probably retaining Lindgren — together with anything they search to perform in free company.
It is doable Brindley may assist with that in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later. The 20-year-old was one of many prime prospects within the Blue Jackets’ farm system, which is without doubt one of the strongest within the NHL. A second-round choose again in 2023, Brindley scored six targets and 17 factors in 52 video games whereas taking part in his first skilled season within the AHL. Previous to the AHL, Brindley starred at Michigan, the place he scored 25 targets and 53 factors as a sophomore in the course of the 2023-24 season.
At this level, the Blue Jackets have a lot cap house that they will choose and select what offers make sense. Particularly if it entails working with a group that should create cap house just like the Avs.
Coyle and Wooden have been a luxurious in Colorado, however in Columbus they will strengthen the underside six whereas permitting the entrance workplace to focus elsewhere in free company.
Coming into Friday, the Blue Jackets had six UFA forwards, whereas Dmitri Voronkov is a restricted free agent. Including Coyle provides them a third-line heart with Sean Monahan and Adam Fantilli on the highest two traces. Wooden provides them a winger that can be utilized on the fourth line (or probably larger); altogether, the Jackets now have 13 forwards who’re both underneath contract or underneath group management as an RFA.
In addition they have greater than $30 million in cap house, with the concept that a few of that may very well be used on extensions for Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov.
Brinkley was one in every of their greatest prospects, however the Blue Jackets nonetheless have promising forwards of their system, together with Cayden Lindstrom, Jordan Dumais and Luca Del Bel Belluz.