5 best fits for Erik Karlsson in NHL free agency

3. Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche were yet another team that defied expectations this past season.

Having finished with the worst record in the league in 2016-17, things seemed grim for Jared Bednar’s men. To add fuel to the fire, fans felt robbed by the announcement that the team would select fourth overall at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, as the lottery placed the Avalanche in a position in which they could not choose one of the top two prospects — Hischier or Nolan Patrick — to enter into the ranks of the organization.

Grim days were ultimately erased by a stellar 2017-18 campaign. Nathan MacKinnon scored 39 goals and 97 points in 74 games — thus rendering him a candidate for the Ted Lindsay Award and the Hart Memorial Trophy. His linemates, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, were fantastic counterparts to the NHL’s breakout superstar — all while the likes of Alexander Kerfoot, Tyson Barrie and Carl Soderberg increasingly turned heads. Colorado’s success culminated when the team surprisingly qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs, during which they took the Nashville Predators — winners of the Presidents’ Trophy — to six games.

Going forward, GM Joe Sakic faces a similar situation to that of his equivalent in New Jersey, as the Avalanche shall look to secure pieces that signify the outset of a winning future. Financially, things are sound — MacKinnon is locked up on a steal of a contract (five years at a mere $6 million) and the club’s administration emerged as the undisputed winners of the infamous Duchene deal. So what’s next?

While Sakic will aim to iron out his goaltending situation (in the event that Jonathan Bernier tries the market) and shall likely be on the lookout for a veteran forward, the thought of adding Karlsson is a interesting prospect to entertain. We already know that the Avalanche’s management has sufficient experience dealing with Ottawa’s front office — the implications of which should almost certainly be felt for years to come.

More important, however, is the extent to which Karlsson would complement Colorado’s promising young core. MacKinnon, Landeskog, Rantanen and Kerfoot can potentially form the basis of one of the league’s most devastating up and coming offensive forces. Adding the former Norris winner would bring out the best of the franchise’s forwards, as well as provide the team with some much needed stability on the blue line.

There’s little doubt that a move of this nature would require some top-notch maneuvering. And although the hockey world has doubted Sakic in the past, he’s demonstrated an ability to broker deals in which his club emerges with a favorable standing. Should Karlsson be on the Avalanche’s radar, look for Sakic to silence his doubters once again.