The Colorado Avalanche are stuck in limbo and are in a unique spot after their run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A sweep by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals is still fresh in their minds.

Vegas is battling – and currently beating – the Carolina Hurricanes in what has been a more entertaining Stanley Cup Final than some expected. It’s leaving Avalanche fans wishing they were part of the action, competing with another force of nature.

Almost two weeks on from the sweep, the Avs have made some changes. It’s left them in limbo heading into the meat of the offseason, where more changes are bound to happen.

The moves made

Rumors started coming out even before the end of the Western Conference Final surrounding Chris MacFarland’s departure from the club. He moved to the Nashville Predators, proving the rumors true despite their denial.

Another Central Division opponent snapped up the Avalanche’s builder. He earned a promotion and moved closer to family. Ultimately, Colorado had a hard time keeping MacFarland around, and he was the one who fell on the sword after the defeat to Vegas.

However, it means that former Avalanche captain and legend Joe Sakic will take over once again as the general manager. People know the stories and legacy he’s built both on and off the ice en route to three Stanley Cups in franchise history.

What’s staying the same

Sakic’s return to the position also seems to signal that Jared Bednar will stay as the head coach of the Avalanche. Fans favored ousting him after his inability to adapt and go head-to-head against Vegas and John Tortorella.

However, it was always unlikely he’d leave. Bednar has been around for far too long and helped get the Avalanche to where they are today. As one of the longest-tenured coaches in the league, it’d take a lot for him to go.

He will still have his best resources available for next season. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will rebound and be their usual selves. Martin Necas, who is signed long-term in Colorado, will also support Gabriel Landeskog as he continues to lead.

Where the Avalanche are in limbo

While the regulars will still be around, pretty much everything else is in limbo and could change. Who knows what the rest of the lineup looks like if any major shakeups happen.

Sakic will have plenty of ideas now that he is running the operations of the team again. He will have to think about a subpar NHL Draft coming up on June 26 and 27, hosted by the Buffalo Sabres.

MacFarland made tons of moves during his tenure as general manager. It meant draft picks went flying out the door. Colorado has no picks in the first three rounds this season and only two of their own picks. There will be no MacKinnon to pick up first overall this time around.

Otherwise, they own multiple other teams’ picks this season. They will make eight picks, composed of two in rounds four and five, and four seventh-round picks.

It’s unlikely Colorado will land anything crazy late in the draft. Will Sakic have something up his sleeve to acquire more draft picks? Or will he ditch more draft picks to trade for new roster players?

What to look forward to after the draft

All the draft movements then lead into even more unknowns surrounding free agency on July 1. On the Avs’ roster, only four guys are unrestricted free agents (UFAs): Joel Kiviranta, Brett Kulak, Brent Burns, and Nick Blankenburg.

In addition, they have two restricted free agents (RFAs): Zakhar Bardakov and Jack Drury. On the AHL-affiliate Colorado Eagles side, there are four RFAs, including fan-favorites Ivan Ivan and Taylor Makar. Nine UFAs make up the Eagles team as well, including a couple of players who joined the team in Denver, like Jason Polin, Alex Barre-Boulet, and Jack Ahcan.


Decisions will be made in due course for this Avalanche team in limbo as they wait for the season to conclude and anticipate the NHL Draft and free agency. Lots of eyes and ears will be focused on what they do to prepare for next season.