For several weeks, the Avalanche’s struggles again have raised the issue of possible shakeups, or “blowing up” the six-man core of younger players with lucrative long-term contracts. But with Colorado ending the calendar year close to the NHL’s $73 million salary cap, the options are limited, at least short-term. Estimates of Avalanche cap space space range from $669,000 (capfriendly.com) to $2.7 million (spotrac.com).
With Semyon Varlamov injured and Colorado temporarily playing three goaltenders, the picture is a bit tweaked. But Colorado has about $52 million in cap hits committed for next season, with the following from the current active roster potentially coming off the books:
Unrestricted free agents — Jarome Iginla ($5.