The Avalanche front office quietly grooms internal options to fill the void if Samuel Girard ships out before the deadline, as cap crunches and Cale Makar's extension loom large. With Jared Bednar preaching third-line center upgrades and defensive depth that's one tweak from disaster, these prospects get their shot to prove they're more than placeholders. Colorado knows Girard's $5 million ticket moves the needle for a Cup push, but only if the right pieces slide in seamlessly.

Samuel Girard sits in year six of his $5 million deal with Colorado, but the Avalanche front office eyes cap space for Cale Makar's next contract and craves blueline size after playoff bruises against Dallas. Whispers from Denver suggest they're prepping replacements like Sam Malinski and prospects for a third-pair upgrade, making Sammy's nine-team no-trade list a real hurdle for suitors.

The Colorado Avalanche finally lock in their 23-man roster after a whirlwind of training camp cuts and AHL shuttles, with names like T.J. Tynan bouncing between Colorado and the Eagles in recent weeks. Front office whispers suggest GM Chris MacFarland eyes tweaks for cap flexibility, potentially dangling pieces like Ross Colton or Samuel Girard as the deadline looms.