The Avalanche won’t be spending any time on the GM market anytime soon. According to reporting from Corey Masisak and Evan Rawal, Joe Sakic is expected to remain in the role full-time, and Colorado does not plan to bring in someone else for that job.
That news comes as the Avs are closing in on the start of training camp, with the team only 48 hours away from hitting the ice. Colorado’s leadership is set to meet with the media tomorrow to officially kick things off, and the club also had its annual charity golf classic early Monday morning.
Before that event got rolling, Brett Kulak spoke with the media after putting pen to paper on his five-year extension over the summer. He also discussed the possibility of staying in Colorado before July 1.
Around the league, there’s a busy deadline day tied to the old collective bargaining agreement. Today is the final day clubs can sign players to eight-year deals, and several teams are trying to beat the clock.
Elliotte Friedman said the Senators are working on an eight-year deal for one of their forwards, while the Ducks are nearing an extension for Cutter Gauthier. That one probably won’t run eight years, but there are other benefits to getting it done before the new CBA kicks in.
The Sabres also jumped in with a major commitment, giving Noah Ostlund an eight-year contract with a $6.6 million AAV. It’s a big bet on a young player with limited experience, though the upside is obvious if it hits.
There’s also a contract situation brewing in Carolina. The Hurricanes still need to sign Alexander Nikishin, but Friedman reported that he seems to want a fresh start and would prefer to play elsewhere this season. Friedman previously linked him to Chris MacFarland and the Nashville Predators.
And in Montreal, the Canadiens took care of their own coaching business. Martin St. Louis, who was also entering the season on the final year of his deal, has landed a new three-year extension that keeps him with the team through 2029-30.
In Other News...
Martin Necas Just Gave Avalanche Fans Another Reason To Love This Core
Martin Necas arrived in Colorado with the kind of upside that can change a teams ceiling, and his first full season with the Avalanche did exactly that. After being acquired from Carolina and then signing an eight-year extension in October 2025, he delivered career highs across the board, finishing with 38 goals, 62 assists and 100 points in 78 games while quickly looking like a natural fit in the Avalanches core.
The rest of the league took notice, too, with NHL Network placing him No. 49 on its top 50 players list and TSN ranking him No. 31. For Avalanche fans, the encouraging part is not just the production but the way Necas has already started to justify the long-term commitment, giving Colorado another high-end piece to build around as it keeps pushing to stay among the NHLs elite. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Face One Contract Question With Lehkonen Now
With most of their roster business settled before the NHLs Sept. 16 deadline for eight-year contracts, the Avalanche head into training camp with one major item still hanging over the books. Cale Makars record-setting extension has already reset the market at the top of the lineup, and Colorado is in the good place of starting camp with a full roster and most of its key financial decisions behind it.
The lingering question is Artturi Lehkonen, who is entering the final year of his five-year deal. His next contract is harder to pin down in a league where salaries keep climbing, and the Avalanche now have to weigh what his value looks like going forward against a cap picture shaped by the deals already in place. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Newhook Just Became An Avalanche Trade Reminder Again
Alex Newhooks rise in Montreal has quietly turned into another reminder of what Colorado gave up when it moved him out of the organization. Since arriving with the Canadiens, the former Avalanche forward has settled in as a useful middle-six piece, the kind of player teams lean on to keep the lineup moving and the offense balanced. Now Montreal has locked him up for the long term, a sign that his game has earned real trust beyond just being part of the return in a past deal.
The new four-year extension, which begins in the 2026-27 season, also shows how the Canadiens see his role growing as the cap picture changes around the league. For Colorado, it is the sort of development that naturally reopens the conversation around a familiar trade, because Newhook is no longer just a former first-round pick finding his way. He is a proven NHL regular on a team that clearly plans to keep him around. [Read more 🡒]