If J.T. Compher is indeed gone for greener pastures, the Avalanche might have found his replacement at second-line center.
The Avs traded Alex Galchenyuk to the Nashville Predators for 30-year-old center Ryan Johansen on Saturday, a week before free agency begins. Nashville will retain half of Johansen’s $8 million cap hit for the remaining two years on his contract, a source told The Post, meaning Colorado is on the hook for $4 million in salary cap space. Compher’s average annual value on his expiring contract was $3.5 million.
Johansen missed the last 27 games of 2022-23 due to a right leg surgery, finishing the season with 28 points in 55 games.