Avalanche on the Verge of Causing Major Issues for Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs
The Colorado Avalanche needs to re-sign superstar Mikko Rantanen, and it's causing the Toronto Maple Leafs a potential headache doing the same with Mitch Marner.
A recent report from TSN Hockey insider Pierre LeBrun shared the information that Mikko Rantanen is looking for a contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $14M yearly.
According to LeBrun, Rantanen believes this is an amount he can make easily on the open market as a free agent.
Why Does This Cause Major Issues For Toronto?
This complicates for the Toronto Maple Leafs their standing with fellow pending UFA Mitch Marner.
Rantanen, who is asking for more than the $12.6M given to teammate Nathan MacKinnon, could set the market for wingers in free agency, something that could lead to Marner testing the free agent landscape rather than settling in Toronto when Rantanen may make more than him.
Both Marner and Rantanen have a similar career trajectory. Marner has 203 goals, 465 assists & 668 points in 598 career NHL games. Rantanen has 276 goals, 373 assists & 649 points in 593 games played.
Marner this season has 9 goals and 29 points in 22 games, and Rantanen with 14 goals and 32 points in 23 games.
Rantanen has the advantage of a Stanley Cup won in 2022 with Colorado, meanwhile, Marner has yet to find any playoff success since being drafted 4th overall.
The Leafs have just $1.5M in cap space for this season, per Puckpedia, with both Marner and John Tavares free agents at the end of this season.
While they could sign Marner to a contract in the range of $13-14M as is what Rantanen is seeking, it'll come at the cost of Tavares, something that will still have to be made up.
Marner will almost surely want as much, if not more, than Auston Matthews, who is currently making $13.25M annually. He may even want a bit more than Rantanen to set himself as the highest-paid winger in the NHL.
It's a contract value that could exceed $14M if that's where negotiations lead unless one of Marner or Rantanen takes a discount to stay where they currently are.
Both Teams Are Feeling The Cap Crunch
Like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Avalanche have a precarious cap situation that is important the team navigates to ensure long-term sustainability as contenders for the Stanley Cup.
According to PuckPedia, the Avalanche currently have just $1.2M in space available. Colorado currently has 11 players locked into long-term contracts until the 2026-27 season, nine of those making $4M or greater.
Where Toronto benefits from being able to shed a contract like Tavares at the end of this year, Colorado will have to navigate a difficult cap situation that doesn't favor the team at all.
Given they've already spent a great amount as it is to lock up key assets, and with Rantanen's contract asks, even a rising salary cap does little to mitigate the situation in a way that benefits the Avalanche situation without moving players out to re-sign Rantanen.
Colorado also needs to figure out its goaltending situation as well. Starter Alexander Georgiev is set to be a free agent at the end of this season.
Georgiev has struggled this season with the Avalanche, despite a winning 7-5-2 record having a woeful .875 SV% and a 3.25 GAA on the year.
His backup, 24-year-old Justus Annunen, having an equally difficult year with a 3.23 GAA and a .872 SV%, but like Georgiev a winning record in 6-4-0 this season.
The Avalanche will likely not be signing Georgiev to his current amount, $3.4M, but will need to either sign him for less or find a costlier replacement, something that would save money for the team while still being a dependable, low-cost starter.
On top of Georgiev either leaving or taking less, Colorado will need to move out a contract to make the cap work.
They could move on from Ross Colton, who is making $4M a season, which can be eased by bringing up top prospect Calum Ritchie, who started the season with the Avalanche and looks like a player ready to make the jump to the senior team.
One potential option, as NHL analyst Anson Carter suggested, a 1-for-1 Rantanen for Marner swap.
As much as that doesn't exactly change the situation for either Toronto or Colorado as both are similar players, it's a potential fit if the deal comes with contracts for both players.
The Avalanche and the Maple Leafs both face the difficult task of re-signing their star players, already having put so much into their future with what is being left is one of their most gargantuan asks of all.
With two star wingers in negotiations to rival the other and their own star teammates, it's a waiting game that may lead to a fight for bragging rights as the highest-paid players in the NHL, much to the headache of their respective teams.
FAQ: Colorado Avalanche's Big Decision Affects Maple Leafs
Q1: What is the big decision that will affect both Colorado and Toronto?
A1: Colorado needs to decide on whether to sign star Mikko Rantanen to a long-term deal or let him walk and his next contract value will lead to Mitch Marner looking to earn the same, or more money for his next deal.
Q2: What are the salary expectations for both players?
A2: It's unknown the exact figures, but it's projected that Mitch Marner will be offered anywhere between $12-15M depending on what team, meanwhile Rantanen will look to make more than the $12.6M his teammate Nathan MacKinnon makes.
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