Getty Images The Colorado Avalanche had quite a few noteworthy restricted free agents going into the off-season. Now they just have one: Ryan O’Reilly.
O’Reilly has completed his entry-level contract and might be in line for a big payday after scoring 18 goals and a team-leading 55 points in 81 games last season. The Denver Post’s Mike Chambers, while arguing that O’Reilly deserves a new contract, speculated that O’Reilly might command roughly $4 million annually.
The Avalanche certainly have the cap space to make that happen, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they intend to give him anything near that amount. The problem is that O’Reilly recorded just 52 combined points in his rookie and sophomore campaigns.
Should Colorado just ignore those seasons, assume that from now on he’ll be a solid top-six forward, and pay him accordingly? We doubt that the Avalanche are comfortable with that idea and if they were, then O’Reilly would have probably been signed weeks ago.
Instead all seems to be quiet on the O’Reilly front, which is certainly a troubling development this late into the summer.
Perhaps the solution will ultimately be a short-term contract so that the Avalanche can minimize their risk and O’Reilly can attempt to prove that his 2011-12 campaign wasn’t a fluke.
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It’s the first NHL game on NBCSN to surpass 4 million viewers.
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They beat the Syracuse Crunch in six games.
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“It’s going to be a strong, solid franchise just like Winnipeg is now.”
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Report: Flyers will buy out Briere, Bryzgalov another story (Updated)
Jun 18, 2013, 9:27 PM EDT
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Things are getting dramatic in Philadelphia.
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His annual cap hit is a hefty $7,727,273.
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Coburn might be heading the other way.
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He also loves 2013 NHL Draft prospect Darnell Nurse.
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The coach already had him picked as Plan B if Marian Hossa couldn’t play.
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Blackhawks coach knows his team has to improve in those areas.
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AP
Stemming from his arrest in 2011.
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“I’ve got a nice little scratch mark on my forehead from the claw marks.”
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23-year-old defenseman had six goals in the playoffs.
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Preds stay busy, ink Henderson to two-year, $1.1 million deal
Jun 18, 2013, 4:13 PM EDT
26-year-old made his NHL debut last season.
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Pegula ‘concerned’ about Miller and Vanek, wants to keep them in Buffalo
Jun 18, 2013, 3:26 PM EDT
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But will they stay?
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Could an NHL team one day call it home?
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Sharks, Couture reportedly agree to five-year, $30 million extension
Jun 18, 2013, 3:07 PM EDT
As per TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
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He’s still “day-to-day” with his injury.
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He’s been given permission to seek employment elsewhere.
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“We don’t care about calling certain guys superstars on our team,” said the coach.
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AP
Hey, he did take two weeks off.
