Fansided

Each NHL team’s biggest burning question in 2018

By Simon Vacca

EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 23: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers lines up for a face off against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 23, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 23: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers lines up for a face off against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 23, 2018 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 14: Mikko Rantanen #96, Gabriel Landeskog #92 and Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate a goal against the Boston Bruins at the Pepsi Center on November 14, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 14: Mikko Rantanen #96, Gabriel Landeskog #92 and Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrate a goal against the Boston Bruins at the Pepsi Center on November 14, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Colorado Avalanche: Should they be looking to add a defender?

Coming off a season in which any and all expectations were repeatedly defied, the Colorado Avalanche enter the 2018-19 campaign looking to add a piece — or pieces — that will usher forth the next step of firmly establishing winning ways.

With Nathan McKinnon — recent netter of 39 goals and 97 points over the course of 74 games — locked to a steal of a five-year, $6 million contract, the franchise’s most valuable asset is set to serve as the face of a team-friendly deal at the professional hockey level. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is also signed for three more years, while the club is unquestionably readying to prepare offers for Mikko Rantanen and Alexander Kerfoot, respectively.

While it’s reasonable to assume that a decision is on the horizon with regard to Semyon Varlamov’s future, the prospect of Joe Sakic attempting to introduce a top-end defender to Colorado’s lineup is a curious line of thought to entertain. The 2018-19 UFA class is set to be comprised of the likes of Erik Karlsson, Tyler Myers, Michael Del Zotto and Jake Gardiner — each of whom not only has the potential to complement one of the sport’s most promising up and coming offensive forces, but also the capacity to earn high marks playing for a team that is on an upward trajectory for the books.

Surely desiring a further measure of stability on its back end, expect the Avalanche to engage in some degree of maneuvering. The club still owns the Ottawa Senators’ first-round draft pick in 2019 — who could very well turn out to be none other than Jack Hughes. As such, expect this reality to play into the configuration of Sakic’s eventual behind-the-scenes arm-twisting.

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