3 Avalanche players named top free agents
These three Avalanche pending UFAs are considered among the best of this year's class.
NHL free agency is getting closer, as it is now less than two months away. Because of this, NHL insider Frank Seravalli released a Top 50 UFAs list for Daily Faceoff.
Three Avalanche made the cut on Seravalli's list - Jonathan Drouin, Sean Walker, and Yakov Trenin.
Drouin, 29, was ranked at the No. 18 spot on Seravalli's list. Seeing the skilled winger crack the Top 20 is entirely warranted, as he had a marvelous regular season for the Avalanche. The change of scenery benefitted him greatly, as he posted 19 goals and 56 points in 79 regular-season games.
After taking a bargain one-year, $825,000 deal to join the Avalanche, Drouin is set to get a hefty raise this offseason. If the Avalanche can't afford to bring him back, he will have a big market in July.
Walker, 29, is another player who benefitted from a fresh start. The right-shot defenseman had a strong regular season split between the Philadelphia Flyers, posting 10 goals, 29 points, and a plus-11 rating in 81 games. Due to his strong season, Seravalli ranked him at the No. 20 spot.
Walker is among the top right-shot defensemen who can hit the market this offseason. Thus, if the Avalanche can't get him re-signed or let him walk, he will be a hot commodity.
Trenin, ranked at the No. 30 spot, will surely have a market if he reaches free agency. This is because he is a solid two-way forward who plays an immensely heavy game and has multiple years left in his prime. All teams love to have players like Trenin.
Trenin appeared in 76 regular-season games split between the Nashville Predators and Avalanche, recording 12 goals, 17 points, 207 hits, and a plus-15 rating. In seven playoff games, he has a goal and a plus-2 rating.
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