The Avalanche should consider targeting Connor Brown for their bottom six.
The Avalanche should consider targeting Connor Brown for their bottom six.
The Colorado Avalanche's forward group may look very different next season. With the start of free agency being just four days away, the Avalanche still have multiple pending UFA forwards without new deals. These include Jonathan Drouin, Brandon Duhaime, Yakov Trenin, and Joel Kiviranta. Furthermore, Zach Parise and Andrew Cogliano have retired.
Given the Avalanche's current situation, they will likely look to add to their bottom six this offseason. They have already lost two veterans from their roster, with Parise and Cogliano retiring, and there is a chance that some of their UFAs could walk.
With the Avalanche having limited cap space, they may be forced to do bargain shopping in free agency this summer. One specific player who should grab their attention because of this if he hits the market is Connor Brown.
After missing all but four games due to a torn ACL in 2022-23, Brown inked a one-year deal with the Oilers last offseason. The Toronto native struggled during the regular season in Edmonton, posting four goals, eight assists, and a minus-8 rating. However, his play noticeably improved during the playoffs, as he had two goals, six points, and a plus-4 rating in 19 games. That was a step in the right direction.
Sometimes, it can take a player time to shake off the rust following a serious injury, and this appeared to be the case with Brown. He showed signs of bouncing back during the final stretch of the year, and the Avalanche should consider taking a flier on him this summer because of it. There could be a good match here on a one-year, prove-it deal.
If the Avalanche signed Brown, he could be an option for their third line and work on their second power-play unit. Keep in mind, he has hit the 20-goal mark twice and has had at least 30 points in four seasons.
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