Suddenly, the Avalanche isn’t so young and its salary structure isn’t so simple.
With a projected team payroll of nearly $68 million, which is third lowest in the 31-team NHL, Avs general manager Joe Sakic and his staff are bracing for their busiest off-season yet. On July 1, 25 organizational player contracts expire, including eight pending restricted free agents coming out of their modest entry-level contracts (ELC) that carry cap hits of less than $1 million.
Colorado’s payroll is destined to grow, and potentially approach the $79.9 million ceiling depending on several factors, beginning with how much it will take to resign All-Star right winger Mikko Rantanen.