Avs Sign Senators D-Man Brannstrom. Can He Follow the Drouin in Turning Things Around in Denver?

The Colorado Avalanche made another signing on day 2 of free agency, this time bringing in defenseman Erik Brannstrom from the Ottawa Senators. Brannstrom hasn't panned out the way many thought he would when he was drafted #15 overall. But the Avs have done a pretty good job in bringing in players who have struggled and turned them into producers. Can Brannstrom be that guy?
We also take a look at who made good move and bad in free agency so far.
And the Avs schedule was released. It can't be worse than last year, can it?
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[@Kuba55]

The Avs schedule sucks. I'll be visiting Florida in December yet they decided to go there in November. Will have to settle for Penguins @ Panthers sporting a Makar jersey 😉 Lots of love to you guys!

[@shaggyvondoom]

It’s def something lol right back at ya 🤜🏻🤛🏻

[@leviharris3334]

Feels like Val is more equivalent to Vader. Started out good, then turned evil but is hopefully redeemable

[@Friggle_Dee]

I appreciate Kyle's contrarian take. It's not without logic with Sammy being the domino. I do have my own potential domino. Most people are saying it's Val or Landy. But what about Georgiev being moved? Handing the keys to Annunen. Atleast in a platoon scenario. Georgie is not going to be resigned, most likely. Trade him, free up some cap. Trade for a cheaper 1B. Sign Schmid as your 3. Idk I'm just spitballing.

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

You heard some of that prior to free agency starting. Particularly Ullmark.

[@shaggyvondoom]

I live to be a contrarian lol

[@ostarakonrad9907]

Not an absurd take... but you never do that unless you have a bulletproff plan to replace him. Or your playoffs could sink quickly behind an untested goalie

[@Friggle_Dee]

@ostarakonrad9907 Right. If they were to move on from Georgie it probably would've happened already. To go further with Kyle's Sammy G idea.... (1) They did sign quite a few dmen already familiar with the system and 1 with some upside (brannstrom). (2) Near December the moment of reckoning arrives (Val and/or Landy return), Brannstrom is playing fairly well. They have the experience Dmen (band-aids) to hold things over. They can move on from Sammy. (3) Then at/near the deadline use some of that cap relief to replace Sammy. I think Kyle is on to something. At the very least it gives CMac options.

[@ryanjulian4148]

Long as he doesn't underperform, Brannstrom can be packaged deal at trade deadline with his RFA status. It clearly helps with options when you sign RFAs. If everything works out, the scouting department might have hit a homerun with a Brannstrom or Sammy G option

[@rerega3177]

Personally, i think tampa is just stepping beyond a retool. As letting stamkos go was a surprise. Definitely seems like their window has shut. Leafs are kind of whatever. As they're always good during the regular season but then crumble in the post season. Doesnt seem like marner's going any where from what their new coach has said and im happy tanev is there as i personally think that'll hurt dallas's defense quite a bit. Nashville loaded up though, And that kind of concerns me. Avs just seem to be doing maintenance. Heard the Jets are having a rough time with prospects though. All in all next season will be very interesting.

[@shaggyvondoom]

A good preds team? In this economy?!

[@bafriesen]

Nashville should concern Avs fans. Them and Dallas now. They've got the beef to skill ratio to win in the regular season and especially in the playoffs. Avs have a group of boy scouts uninterested in playing grown man hockey when it counts. Relying on cute passing from little Dmen to go deep in a playoff run is not a fucking strategy.

[@hoimystic2707]

Is he better than sam malinski? Or sean beahren? I think if we can use them(ERIK BRÄNNSTRÖM, Malinski)on regular roster. We have to trade Samuel

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

That's difficult to answer. The sample size on Malinski is small and we don't have any on Behrens.

[@shaggyvondoom]

Risk/reward

[@zamboniman69]

I was thinking the same. If Brannstrom can show he can fill Sammy's role, Sammy is a valuable asset they could trade.

[@davidarduini9818]

The Avalanche are obligated under the CBA and through the NHLPA to hold Val's spot and his $6.1M salary cap hit until he either completes the Assistance Program or leaves the NHL and signs overseas in a league in such a way that violates the terms of his contract. I'm sure Avalanche management has explored ways of voiding his contract, which has a NMC clause. We don't know yet how management and his teammates feel about the situation. Avs management has traditionally refrained from making statements about personnel matters. They may have an internal plan to trade Val, but they are keeping that to themselves. In the meantime, they have to operate as if Val will be on the roster some time next season and reserve his $6.1M Cap hit. It's an unenviable situation.

[@cygnusx-1862]

5'10" 185lbs are you kidding me???? They need this guy like they need a hole in the head. Their small defensemen can't move anybody out from in front of georgiev as it is and now they bring in another diminutive d-man..... Looking like another early exit from the playoffs next year if this keeps up

[@bafriesen]

@cygnusx-1862 I wonder how many years this dumb f******* GM has left and how much the next GM is going to have to fix his f*** ups? It's going to take a while to get back to a properly sized pro hockey team and not this bunch of pint sized wannabes.

[@RIPJimmyA7X]

As horrible as the Avs have been at drafting/developing I have to say their ability to offset that with reclamation projects has been pretty darn good. Plus nowadays to win the cup with the hard cap you have to hit on a few reclamations, us, Vegas and Florida all hit on several. To win another we are going to have to do it again

[@shaggyvondoom]

The second chance Avalanche lol

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

I think we need to be more specific on the comments about the Avs not being able to draft and develop. We aren't forgetting about guys like MacKinnon, Landeskog, Mikko and Cale are we? If the argument is late round development, that's an issue for every team and not exclusive to the Avs. I'm not trying to give them a pass here, it's just that history shows that anything outside of the top 10 is not a guarantee

[@RIPJimmyA7X]

@@LockedOnAvalanche Landy was the old regime and let's not forget if not for Roy we would have drafted Jones not Mack. Basically out of all of our draft picks we hit REALLY lucky on 4, and nothing out of the top 10. Yes outside the top 10 is hit or miss for everyone but it's been all miss for us. PS also its looking like we did hit with Annunen now as well

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

​@@RIPJimmyA7XI would say that the jury is still out on MacFarland draft picks then, since last year's draft was officially his first as the sole GM.

[@RIPJimmyA7X]

@@LockedOnAvalanche very fair, we also got new head of scouting/ development so ya hopefully we might see Ollausen or Foudy really start making strides

[@chemguy5468]

I still think it's crazy y'all want to get rid of Val😅

[@Friggle_Dee]

I don't. His contract is impossible to move anyways. The best move is to hope he stays sober. I think many of us are just spitballing options. The most likely outcome is Val returns, gets one more shot.

[@solvingpolitics3172]

@@Friggle_DeeWith two years in a row he failed drug tests?

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

I don't. And my tune didn't change until all these free agent signings that put them over the cap. Someone has to move.

[@aarongreig9191]

I’ve been saying it for weeks. They know they’re able to terminate Val’s deal once he’s re-instated. He’s done. He’s not even on the team website anymore. They’re just not saying it yet because it would be a bad look.

[@shaggyvondoom]

I still think it’s crazy that you think it’s crazy lol

[@airlinename2614]

Trade Girard! Lol!!😂

[@shaggyvondoom]

Here we go

[@alu.304]

Now the "Trade Girard" chants are starting again. Like a broken record and predictable. When do the "Fire Bednar" chants start. I swear, our fanbase is bipolar 🙀

[@bafriesen]

The smart ones know it's Fire MacFarland. Bednar is doing what he can with the shrimp force he's been given. The only thing giant MacFarland knows how to create is a mess, it certainly isn't a giant, proper sized hockey team. And also TRADE GIRARD! Get that non scoring, useless, puck moving clown off this team and free up $5M bc they've got 4 other guys that do exactly what he does for millions less.

[@alu.304]

@@bafriesen like clockwork. Thanks for playing.

[@pstandlee]

De Haan isn’t going to last

[@LockedOnAvalanche]

History of injuries. But good when he's out there

[@shaggyvondoom]

Time will tell

[@pstandlee]

He just reminds me of the Ryan Murray 2021-22 season. He played like 3 games.

[@lj291261]

This team is so much worse than before July 1 - just a “masterpiece” by MacFarland. They are again a one line offense. Florida kept Reinhart not like Colorado getting rid of Naz and Burky and ERod - they always want to start at zero because they pay 4 players and the Russian too much and the depth is in the garbage. I am 100% certain that this team has nothing to do with the cup next season - sad. Their additions as sleepy as senile Joe.🥱🫣