Tyson Barrie has heard the rumblings and understands the situation. The power-play quarterback realizes that two younger Avalanche defensemen of his same special ilk could lead to the end of his tenure in Colorado before the final year of his $22 million contract kicks in next season.
The combination of Cale Makar and Conor Timmins, the Avs’ first two selections of the 2017 draft, could make Barrie expendable. The Avs would covet two right-shot, offensive-minded defensemen, but not three — partially because they already have 170-pound defenseman Sam Girard, the savvy left-shooting playmaker from the 2016 draft.
And Barrie’s $5.