The Colorado Avalanche are making moves with only one goal in mind: winning the Stanley Cup. After welcoming Brent Burns to the locker room, Nathan MacKinnon and the rest of the team learned exciting news. As it turns out, another veteran will be rolling with them into the upcoming NHL seasons.
The Avalanche are determined to right the ship after last year’s collapse in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was an atypical year in Denver. MacKinnon and company were shockingly stripped of a key teammate like Mikko Rantanen, who would later on knock them out of the playoffs.
On top of a rollercoaster season, the team had to contend with the buzz surrounding Gabriel Landeskog’s return to the ice, further increasing the pressure. Having the captain back on the lineup was the biggest win of the year. Still, MacKinnon and the Avs were hoping to give their captain an even more memorable welcome-back party.
One step ahead
Now, the Avalanche are looking to turn the page. It’s not worth crying over spilled milk, and Colorado knows there are far better plans ahead — and it’s going after them. In a surprising turn of events, the Avs handed a new contract to one of the veterans on the team, even though he wasn’t an NHL free agent.
As reported by insider Elliotte Friedman, the Avalanche have signed blueliner Josh Manson to a two-year, $3.95M contract. The 33-year-old defenseman finished the past season with 15 points (1G, 14A) in 48 games.
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it
Manson’s new deal will take effect in the 2026-27 NHL season, as he will now enter the final season of the four-year, $18M deal he signed in 2022. Manson willingly took a pay-cut to stay in Denver alongside MacKinnon and the star-studded roster. The Avalanche decided not to wait until next summer to address the contract situation of their blueliner.
Now, Colorado’s defensive core is mostly set. Along with Manson, the Avs have Cale Makar (two years left), Devon Toews (five years left), and Samuel Girard (two years left) inked, in hopes of chasing the Cup. With timely additions like Burns, the Avalanche are confident in their defensive group to lead them to victory.