Most people liked the Johnson trade, but some didn't (most notably Peter Stastny). I thought it was a great trade for both the Avalanche and the Blues. Comparing the team now to the day before the trade I think the core of players is a lot better now then it was back then. They replaced Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk with Eric Johnson and Gabriel Landeskog. This is a lot better of a pair if you ask me for many reasons. Shattenkirk was a good offensive defenseman, but he was bad defensively. Johnson is a more complete defenseman. He can play on the powerplay, he is physical, and he is effective on both sides of the puck. I see Landeskog as a similar player to Stewart. He might not be as good as Stewart next year, but Landeskog has potential to have a better career. Something that really sets them apart is that Landeskog is known to be a hardworking, good character player and always give a great effort (he was compared to Mike Richards). Stewart did not show this. After he got back from his injury he showed a complete lack of effort and when the team fell he stopped playing with heart and just didn't look like he cared. I don't know if it is true that he was involved with teammates wives, but it seemed like the team got dragged down when he came back. A very important factor with these two players is that they are leaders (Adam Foote was a good captain, but the team did lack leadership). This is something they did not get out of Shattenkirk and Stewart. I know Landeskog was not part of the trade, but I think overall the team is better after the moves they made. The Blues got two great players, but I'm talking from the Avs perspective. When you talk about the trade itself I think it is a win for both sides. In the long run I think that the Avs are a lot closer to being a contender than they were the year before.

As you probably have heard there have been many rumors going around about Paul Stastny for the last few months. I still can not see the logic in the Avalanche trading him. I know he had a sub-par year, but it was a terrible year for the whole team. He still had a solid 57 points and I think if it hadn't been for so many injuries he would have been a point a game player like everyone expects from him. In 2008-09 he didn't have a very good year, but he was a point a game player the year after again. The only way I see the Avs getting equal value is if they get a young player with equal skill as him and it's pretty clear teams aren't in that much of a hurry to get rid of young and talented players. A hole in their roster that they need to fill is in net, but goaltenders value has vastly decreased so they could solve that problem without giving up major assets. So why are the Avs. I know he has a high salary, but it's not like they are tight for cap room, in fact they are barely at the cap floor. I know they are rebuilding, but why would a team a year or two away from contending take a young player from their core and trade him for picks or prospects when all that would do is put the team back another few years. It isn't even a sure bet you would end up with a player with his skill. The bottom line is, I don't see why they would take a 25 year old player out of a good core to build around and if they did, how they would possibly get anything of equal value and not simply set the team further back.

You know how the site had a Wolski Day? In my opinion a former Av that really deserves his own day is Tyler Arnason. After all he had a career to remember with the Avs. What day would it be? July 1st (the day the Avs signed him and let him go 3 years later)? June 22 (the day he was given a 2 year extension)? March 16 (Arnie's Birthday)? I recently sat down with Arnason and asked him how he would feel about a day on this site like this. This was his response...

First of all I want to thank Scott Hannan for his time with the Avs after he was traded to the Caps. Some of you guys said he was overpaid which $4.5 million for him was quite a bit, but he was a solid D-man in his time with the team. I would have liked to see him back next year, but I doubted that would happen so it is good they got something for him. I wish him well.

Remember back to the off season when Sherman said they would "build from within." I was okay with the idea because it would have been a bad idea to go after Kovalchuk (just look at how it is going with him with the Devils), but what we got was a team that really hadn't improved other than with Daniel Winnik. I would have liked to see them add more depth, but it didn't happen. Now 2 months into the season they are doing anything, but "building from within." They acquire Ryan O'Byrne, Matt Hunwick, and Tomas Fleischmann in three different trades. Are they a better team now than from the beginning of the season? Probably, but these moves seem to be moves you would do at the deadline instead of November. Maybe they weren't available then or they didn't think it was necessary. It is still early in the season so that makes you wonder why didn't they do this in the off season. I thought the O'Byrne trade was great. For their third round pick in 2010 they get a big physical D-man which was a big hole in the roster. Of the three the Hunwick trade is my least favorite. They give up a prospect I was really looking forward to for another defense man under 6ft and didn't really seem to be a need for the team. I'm still undecided on the Fleischmann trade (we haven't even seen him yet). As I said before I liked Hannan, but I thought he was probably gone after this year(I would have rather seen Wilson, Quincey, or Cumiskey go, but I doubt the Caps would trade for one of them). Fleischmann was brought in to temporarily replace Chris Stewart who broke his hand on Saturday. He is a UFA after this season so it could end up being a one year deal with him. He might be Peter Mueller's replacement if they bring him back because Mueller has been injured for a long time and no one can tell when or even if he can come back. What's your take on these trades. Is Kyle Cumiskey the next to go? I sure hope so.

It is almost the end of July and what activity has there been. Resigning Quincy and Yip, making one minor trade and that's it. Odviously the 2009-10 Avs were a lot better than the 2008-09 edition, but will the 2010-11 team be even better? On paper (right now at least) the team is no better than last year (actually it is worse because Stewart is yet to be resigned). I'm not saying I'm angry they passed on Kovalchuk, but come on, you need to make some moves. Last year it was clear the defence needed to be better. The team has already passed on Volchenkov and Hamuis, who would have been good additions, but are expensive. What I'm saying is I want them to add players who are going to help the team (mainly defensively) and don't cost that much. Andy "You're an Expert?" Sutton is still an FA. He can block shots (so he would replace Brett Clark) , he's 6"5 and he can hit. Seeing as it is late July he probably wouldn't be an expensive addition and he looks like he would fit well on the team. In addition there still are several two-way forwards avalible that this team really could use. In this league, if you want to contend, you have to sign FAs. You don't need to spend too much money on them. You just need to add players who will help your team.

My second point is the Avs are below the cap floor by a considerable amount. Rather than over paying players you resign (Quincy at $3 million a year was suspect) use the money to add FAs on short contracts. Stewart and Mueller still need to be resigned. If they get the right amount of money and aren't overpaid than there will still be money left over to improve the roster.

I was also hoping to for contract extensions for Anderson and Hannan. It would be a good idea to get done this off season.

As you probably know there is a high chance the Phoenix Coyotes will move this summer. One of the most likely destinations for the Coyotes would be Winnipeg. It wouldn't make sense for Winnipeg to be in the Pacific division since they are a northern team. They would likely be placed in the Northwest division which would leave only for teams in the Pacific Division and six in the Northwest (not that I consider Minnasota a legitimate team). Geographicly, the Avs look like the best team to replace the Coyotes in the Pacific. What would you think about the Avs being in a different division?

Will Foote be back with the Avs next season? The team has shown huge signs of improvement this year so why leave now? It is clear he is near the end of his career, but he was still a big part of the team this season. They could use his leadership next year. He has made all of the young players alot better and I hope he continues next year. Does Foote have one more year in him?

It finally has come! The video tribute to the worst player in Avalanche history. I am or coarse speaking of Tyler Arnason. Watch it on YouTube.

Title: Farwell Tyler Arnason

Account: PlayStationMan55

Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayStationMan55

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flfMW35Vk1k

The song in the video is supposed to be Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day but the copyright policy didn't allow me to use it so play it while watching the video.

Since he is no longer with the Avalanche our old friend Tyler Arnason spends most of his days getting drunk and gambling away all the money the Avs wasted on him over the past three years. It turns out he is just as bad at poker as he was at hockey.

He also attends some of the Avs games. While watching the Avs win without him, he thinks to himself "Maybe I wasn't supposed to turn the puck over all those times. Maybe I was supposed to try and hit the net when I took a shot."

I resently spoke with Arnason. I asked him what he thought of this post. After reading it he didn't say much but this was his reaction.