As the NHL begins the Stanley Cup Finals this week, 30 teams around the league are already working on their plans for the offseason. Coaches are being replaced, blockbuster trade rumors are already swirling and some pending free agents have already been given permission to start negotiating with new teams.
For Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic, the first task at hand is re-signing some major parts of the roster. Cale Makar is a restricted free agent, and his negotiations are going to have a major impact, as his contract could help reset the team’s salary cap structure over the next half decade.