Nathan MacKinnon is the present and future of this Colorado Avalanche team, and his entry-level contract (ELC) expired at the conclusion of this season, so it’s time to get the man a new contract.
Unfortunately, Nathan MacKinnon is not the only player that the Colorado Avalanche need to sign this offseason. Management is also hoping that they can at least sign Mikkel Boedker and Shawn Matthias, while Tyson Barrie may prove more difficult to sign.
So, the Avs might realistically be looking at a trade with Tyson Barrie, and that might not be the worst option, particularly if they can sign a defensively responsible d-man.