What moves will Sakic make to improve Avs this summer?

The summer of 2021 is underway for all but four NHL teams. July is set to include not only the entry draft and free-agent frenzy, but the expansion draft that will give shape to the league’s 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken. Here’s a look at the Colorado Avalanche contracts signed, expiring and needed.

Forwards

Gabriel Landeskog

As a 20-year-old team captain, Landeskog signed a seven-year, $39 million extension with the Avalanche in 2013. The length was lightly questioned at the time as Landeskog had missed time the previous season with a concussion.

The gamble, if it can be called that now, paid off as Landeskog still wears the ‘C’ and remains a productive topline forward. His reasonable cap hit of $5.5 million lasted a good while but it’s time for a raise.

Landeskog had 20 goals and 32 assists through 54 regular-season games, plus 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 10 playoff games, during his contract year. He has 233 points in 259 games the past four seasons.

Nathan MacKinnon

Star forward MacKinnon is signed through 2022-23 with an annual salary cap hit of $6,300,000, second-highest on the team.

Mikko Rantanen

Colorado’s regular-season points and goals leader Rantanen just finished the second year of a six-year, $55.5 million deal he signed in 2019. His $9,250,000 annual cap hit is the highest on the team. He can become an unrestricted free agent in 2025-26.

Nazem Kadri

Kadri, 30, has one more year with a $4,500,000 cap hit left, per CapFriendly. The center, who missed the last eight games of the playoffs while suspended, has a modified no-movement clause that includes a 10-team no-trade list. He said in an interview that he’s declined to move it before while a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Andre Burakovsky

Burakovsky has one more year on his deal and the third-highest cap hit on the team at $4,900,000.

Brandon Saad

After one productive playoff run with the Avalanche, Saad could be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 28-year-old just finished the remainder of a six-year, $36 million contract following a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks. Saad said at the time said he’d be open to discussing an extension with Colorado.

Tyson Jost

Jost, who has appeared in at least 50 games for the Avalanche each of the past four seasons, needs another contract. He agreed to a one-year deal worth $874,125 last fall with the Avalanche approaching the salary cap.

J.T. Compher

Compher has two years left on a four-year deal worth $14 million ($3.5 million annually).

Joonas Donskoi

Like Compher, Donskoi is signed through 2022-23 with a $3,900,000 annual cap hit.

Valeri Nichushkin

The Avalanche re-signed Nichushkin to a two-year deal in October 2020. His cap hit in the final year of that contract is $2,500,000, per CapFriendly.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Fourth-line center Bellemare, 36, could test free agency if the Avalanche don’t re-sign him. He had nine goals, two assists while only missing three regular-season games.

Alex Newhook

Newhook signed an entry-level contract March 31 after his college season ended.

The Kraken won’t come calling as first- and second-year players are exempt from the expansion draft.

Sampo Ranta

Like Newhook, Ranta signed an entry-level contract this spring, picked up some playoff experience and could replace a departing forward.

Logan O’Connor

O’Connor, who returned from injury at the end of the postseason, has a year before he’s due to become restricted free agent with a qualifying offer. O’Connor played just five NHL games in his first of three seasons after turning pro, so he would also be exempt from the expansion draft.

Carl Soderberg

Soderberg, 35, had a goal and an assist through just four playoff games, but after limited action following a trade at the deadline, it appears likely he’ll sign elsewhere in free agency.

Matt Calvert

Without a deal, Calvert is an unrestricted free agent after missing all but 18 games (3 assists) of the regular season due to injury. He last played March 23.

Jayson Megna

The Avalanche got this signing out of the way, announcing a two-year deal with Megna through 2022-23 on Wednesday.

Liam O’Brien

O’Brien is 26 and has appeared in 29 games over four seasons with the Washington Capitals and Colorado, meeting the conditions to become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent.

Defensemen

Cale Makar

Makar, the reigning Calder Trophy winner and a Norris Trophy finalist this season, is another star the Avalanche need to lock up. He’s a restricted free agent.

Makar, 22, had 44 points (8 goals, 36 assists) in 44 games on Colorado’s top pairing in his second NHL season. He maintained that pace through 10 playoff games (2 goals, 8 assists).

Devon Toews

Toews, Makar’s defensive partner, avoided salary arbitration just after his trade to Colorado last fall when he agreed to a four-year contract with an annual cap hit of $4.1 million.

Samuel Girard

Girard, 23, has the longest contract on the team. He isn’t set to become a free agent until 2027-28.

Ryan Graves

Graves has two more years left on his deal at a $3,166,667 average cap hit.

Erik Johnson

The Avalanche’s longest-tenured player missed all but four games this season. He has two seasons left at a $6 million hit each and a list of 19 teams he can be traded to, per CapFriendly.

Patrik Nemeth

Nemeth was headed toward unrestricted free agency when he was picked up from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. He appeared in every playoff game.

Bowen Byram

Byram, 20, finished an injury-marred rookie season and is on an entry-level contract for two more seasons. He’s exempt from the expansion draft.

Conor Timmins

The 22-year-old would be a restricted free agent. He finished out the season with the Avalanche.

Goaltenders

Philipp Grubauer

Vezina finalist Grubauer had an excellent regular season for Colorado (30 wins, 1.95 goals-against average, both second in the NHL) and, without a new deal in Colorado, would certainly be sought after in free agency.

Pavel Francouz

Francouz missed the entire season due to injury. He has one more year on his contract with a $2 million cap hit.

Jonas Johansson

Acquired in March for depth in net, Johansson meets the Group 6 UFA criteria along with O’Brien and Kyle Burroughs. He’ll likely head elsewhere.

Devan Dubnyk

Another playoff depth goaltender, Dubnyk, 35, is set for unrestricted free agency and likely won’t return.