Unlike the 2010 first day of free agency, the Colorado Avalanche proved to be very active on July 1, 2011, making several moves and signings that will have a definite effect on the outlook of the team this coming season.
Before we talk about what happened today, let's give a brief review of what the Avalanche did leading up to free agency.
Leading up to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Avalanche traded long time Avalanche defender, and fan favorite, John-Michael Liles to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.
This news definitely hit Avalanche nation hard with mixed reactions. Personally I really like having Liles on the blue line of the Avalanche, but with the high hopes for young offensive minded Stefan Elliott and Tyson Barrie, the Avalanche clearly were looking to turn the page and give the future of the Avalanche a chance sooner rather than later.
While I, personally, was not a fan of this particular trade, I understand the thinking behind it and have made my peace.
The other portion of that trade was that Liles had a pretty big cap hit, just north of $4.2 million, with him and the Avalanche ne ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Kevin Goff
2011 NHL Free Agency: Analysis of the Colorado Avalanche’s Moves
July 1st, 2011 by Kevin Goff Leave a reply »
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