KEY DEPARTURES: Reto Berra, G: The Avalanche feel comfortable with Calvin Pickard as their backup, so they traded Berra to the Florida Panthers for forward Rocco Grimaldi on June 23. Berra played 33 games for Colorado during the past two seasons and had a .922 save percentage in 2015-16. … Nick Holden, D: Holden, who played in all 82 games for the Avalanche last season, was traded to the New York Rangers for a fourth-round pick at the 2017 draft. He had six goals, 16 assists and 24 penalty minutes.
ON THE CUSP:Mikko Rantanen, F: The 19-year-old was the 10th player selected at the 2015 draft and got his first taste of the sport's highest level last season but was held without a point in nine games. Rantanen played 60 games for San Antonio of the American Hockey League, where he had 24 goals, 36 assists and a plus-20 rating in 52 games. Rantanen, who turns 20 in October, will be vying for a spot on Colorado's roster at training camp. … J.T. Compher, F: A big piece of the trade that sent center Ryan O'Reilly to the Buffalo Sabres last summer, Compher signed an entry-level contract with the Avalanche in April after finishing his third season at the University of Michigan with 16 goals, 47 assists and a plus-35 rating in 38 games. … Chris Bigras, D: A second-round draft pick in 2013, Bigras split last season between Colorado and San Antonio. The 21-year-old had a goal and two assists in 31 games with the Avalanche, who will have to determine if he's better-suited to be a depth defenseman in the NHL this season or play top-four minutes in San Antonio.
WHAT THEY STILL NEED:The Avalanche would receive a big boost if they can land another top-six forward in a trade before the season gets underway. Blake Comeau could continue to play important minutes if the roster stays as is; Comeau had 12 goals and 36 points in 81 games last season. Not a single player on the Avalanche roster had 60 points in 2015-16. Perhaps with MacKinnon's contract out of the way, that could change this season.
