With several contracts expiring this summer, Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland will be busy trying to put a Stanley Cup-winning team back together.

Eight unrestricted free agents and three restricted free agents are in question in Colorado’s offseason. That on top of losing captain Gabriel Landeskog for the entire 2023-2024 season has raised plenty of questions as the draft and free agency deadline approaches.

“Joe (Sakic) and the staff, myself and our scouts, as always, will look at every opportunity to improve the team and I think that will include both short- and long-term type of players.

“We’ll do our part to try and improve the team this offseason, but I think, I’m very proud of the group. We’ve got great leadership in there and very resilient group that wants to win, so I don’t think that will change,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said last week. 

Landeskog’s long-term injured reserve status frees up his $7 million per year for the Avalanche to spend elsewhere. The Avalanche have $13,225,000 in salary cap space excluding Landeskog’s salary and the salary cap for the 2023-24 season is expected to increase by $1 million.

“We know what we have in terms of our cap. We think we have a pretty good feel on the areas we want to tighten up and improve to get the roster where we feel is in a good place as we enter training camp next year. So we’re excited,” MacFarland said.

There’s no doubt the management team has been taking notes on players around the league that would fit in the Avalanche system. MacFarland mentioned young college players the team signed during the season that are potential regulars on the roster. So the expectation is to keep the team intact for the most part.

“I think for us we have a great core. We have a young core, so we think we have a very good team here for the foreseeable future and we’ll try and maximize that, both short- and long-term,” MacFarland said.

Will O'Reilly or Meier be wearing burgundy and blue?

Toronto Maple Leafs center Ryan O’Reilly will become a UFA and could make a possible return to the Avalanche as a second-line center.

Following the shake-up in Toronto's front office, O'Reilly may be looking for a more stable environment with high potential for deep playoff runs. He would bring a wealth of experience and leadership. 

Another free agent’s name thrown around is Timo Meier. He’s young, fast and could fit well into Colorado's style of play.

It took several years for Sakic to build a Stanley Cup-winning team, but as many championship teams go, they can’t hold on to every single player forever. The Avs looked quite different this season, for several reasons. Now it’s in MacFarland’s hands to find those missing pieces to bring the Cup back to Denver. 

Of course, who the Avalanche may go after is all speculation. Only the bosses know what direction the team will go and Avs Faithful shouldn’t expect to see much, if any, action until the draft.