The time has come to pre-register your adult hockey team for our upcoming season of "After-Hours" games.

Starting today at NOON, you can call JASON SCHOFIELD at 303-405-6182 or e-mail him at jschofield@pepsicenter.com and with a $100 registration fee you can lock-in your "After-Hours" experience. This also guarantees you will get great discount tickets for the entire team, allowing everyone to sit together for an affordable price. Here is a list of teams that have already guaranteed themselves "After-Hours" games:

DAWGS I & II
OLD STYLE HOCKEY
THE PIKAS
MOYE WHITE
CRAIG HOSPITAL SYNAPSE
We will continue to add teams to this posting as we receive their requests. The teams above were offered exclusive opportunities to register starting on Friday thanks to their great support last season. Participate with us this season and you'll automatically get a chance to do the same thing next season as well!

Please feel free to leave any kind of questions or comments about the program by clicking "Add a comment" below and it will appear here. We'll do our best to answer these as quickly as possible.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE AFTER-HOURS INFORMATION SHEET

        

***UPDATE at 2:15p***

Darcy Tucker has signed with the Avalanche for a two-year, $4.5 million deal. This is an exciting acquisition and brings character, grit and toughness to either wing. It's great news to hear that Colorado acquired a tough player with scoring ability for a great price, but Tucker's offensive output has gone way down in the last three seasons from 61 to 43 to just 34 last year. But with 18 goals and 16 assists to go with his 100 PIM's, Tucker is the type of player Colorado desperately needed and could really thrive under head coach Tony Granato. Tucker's fantasy value goes up for next season and would be considered a good deal if he can eclipse 50 points next year.


***UPDATE at 1:45p***

Jeff Finger has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs with a four-year deal worth 3.75 million per year. Finger is another tough loss on defense as he was a huge surprise when he entered the lineup last season and will be missed, but for $3.75 million a year, good riddance. J-M Liles was signed for just over $4 million, so you can be the judge of that one.

Andrew Raycroft has been signed to a one-year deal worth $800,000 in response to the loss of Theodore. At the price, I absolutely love this signing. This move guarantees that Colorado has all but handed the reigns to Peter Budaj. Bringing in Raycroft gives Colorado a chance to push both goalies to perform at their best.For under $1 million, Colorado has created a perfect competitive atmosphere in goal.

Colorado is quickly developing a reputation as giving players, more recently goalies, another chance. Raycroft was simply unbearable to watch last season. He looked like a fish out of water and was downright awkward at times, allowing bad goals from bad angles. He has fallen from grace extremely hard since his Calder Trophy rookie season. The former Rookie of the Year still has an unlimited amount of untapped potential and everyone knows that the Toronto market can wreak havok on goaltenders. Oddly enough, Toronto responded to losing Raycroft by bringing Curtis Joseph back for only $750,000.

In the end, since this is the route Colorado decided to take with their goaltending, I would have rather plucked Kolzig and swapped with the Capitals. That's a little upsetting at the moment, but there's still a real good situation in net for the Avalanche now. This even gives my boy Tyler Weiman a chance to steal the backup spot from Raycroft, which is a real possibility. I'm stoked right now, but anything could happen between now and September.


***UPDATE at 1:10p***

Jose Theodore has signed a two-year deal with the Washington Capitals. I totally did not expect him to sign this quickly, but I did expect Washington to be one of the teams he ultimately ended up with. I guess when you couple the fact that Huet was not secured before this morning and the fact that Washington had money to spend, Theodore probably got what he wanted. It's a downgrade in net for the Capitals but after they re-signed defenseman Mike Green to kick off the day, they can still count on solid goaltending from Theodore. But will it be consistent? I'm interested to see how much the deal pays him, but at this moment it's undisclosed.

I will expand on this move once I learn more about the deal. Personally I think Colorado made a great decision to let him go. I would love to see Colorado make a run for Cristobal Huet or Olaf Kolzig and swap goalies with the Capitals. Huet is a HUUUUUUUGE upgrade in goal if it can happen. The ultimate decision is based on whether or not Colorado feels they want to run with Peter Budaj or not. I wouldn't be surprised if they tag Budaj as the #1 goalie, but I would love to see them make a run for Huet or Kolzig. Godzilla would be a perfect fit to help Budaj develop his game even further and provide incredible goaltending at an incredible price.

Kurt Sauer has signed a four-year deal that pays him an average of $1.75 million per year. This is really great news for Sauer, who deserves that type of money for his hard work and consistent play. This has little fantasy impact on Colorado but allows Kyle Cumiskey a chance to earn a top-6 spot on the blue line, although he could be used as a forward if Granato believes it improves offensive depth.

Andrew Brunette has signed with Minnesota. No surprise there. Tough loss for Colorado, as he goes to the divisional rivals. Brunette had a disappointing season with the Avs despite leading the team in scoring. Fortunately the Wild lost the rights to Brian Rolston, the undeniable Avs killer, so it lessens the pain of losing Brunette.

        

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed defensemen John-Michael Liles and Adam Foote late Sunday afternoon, ending speculation that Liles was headed out of town when the UFA period opened on Tuesday morning. And while many expected Foote to return, once the numbers were announced, many didn't expect to see the dollar amounts to be quite as low as they were.

Both players took huge hometown discounts to stay in Colorado as Avs GM Francois Giguere continued to develop his reputation as a cost-efficient manager. He retained Liles with a four-year deal worth just over $4 million a year. If Liles would have gone anywhere else, he easily would have made over $5 million per year.

Liles had a major setback in his career last season with a record-low point total but was still a major impact on the Avs' blue line. He was unable to cash in on a number of scoring chances throughout the season and his ineffectiveness on the power play aided a disappointing and struggling special teams. Overall, his ability to read plays while transitioning from the neutral zone to the offensive zone continued to improve, along with his overall defensive play, so Liles' fantasy value is expected to rise. Now he has a perfect chance to head back in the right direction with this solid four-year deal. As Dobber said, expect it to happen.


So in a season that saw Liles only score six goals and dish out 26 assists in 81 games, the epitome and culminating moment of this struggle came in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Red Wings. Liles had the puck all alone in the low slot on Chris Osgood with only seconds left but couldn't convert to send the game into overtime. In 313 career games, the 28-year old has 44 goals and 115 assists. Expect Liles to hit the 20-goal and 30-assist mark next season and have a much more productive season.

The 36-year old Foote returned to Colorado at the trade deadline last season from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The two-time Stanley Cup champion scored one goal and picked up 15 assists last season and in 998 career games he has 65 goals and 219 assists. Foote's grit and physical play is the biggest hole in Colorado's game, so his presence on the blue line is even more instrumental heading into next season. Foote has limited fantasy value but if your league rewards PIM's, he's a solid 3rd or 4th defenseman.

Foote is constantly gauged on how he handles the opposition's top forwards. Sure enough, he almost always wins those battles, making him an invaluable asset to any team. Foote is greatly underrated and a team leader both on and off the ice. More importantly, his level of dedication to this organization is apparent through the deal he signed. A two-year, $6 million dollar deal is peanuts compared to what other teams would have offer him. Remember, Foote wouldn't sign a two-year, $7 million dollar deal in Columbus. That speaks volumes about Foote's passion for continuing his career as an Avalanche.

Overall, it seems to me like there's a real sentiment developing under the direction of Tony Granato in which many of the players will perform at a more consistent level than under Joel Quenneville. Many of the players on last year's roster could, will, and realize that they will probably play totally different under the direction of Granato. I am more than impressed with Giguere's ability to sign high-priced players to mediocre-sized salaries. 

He is locking up players for incredible prices and doing it in an orderly and effective manner. Now that the team is done paying bonuses to former players like Rob Blake, Giguere has even more financial room to work with. The boosted salary cap bodes well for a team that is awaiting news from Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg and Andrew Brunette, which accounts for a major percentage of the team's offense.

Check out the Avalanche Avenger on Tuesday for a full fantasy breakdown of all the UFA's signed!

        

I'm totally shocked that Jose Theodore would choose to test the free-agency market this summer. Not because I didn't think his ego would potentially get in the way of re-signing with the Avs, but because the market is lousy for veteran, over-priced goaltenders. This whole thing reeks of abrasive self-centeredness. 

Yes, Theodore certainly turned his game around last season. But he still wasn't the same goaltender that clinched the Hart and Vezina Trophies in 2002. The game was at the tail end of a different era back then. Today's game is not nearly as forgiving, and to be quite honest, he got a deadly dose of that as he took a nose-dive during the shameful series against Detroit and crashed very hard. You could see the hopelessness in his movements. He wasn't all there mentally. All of his momentum was crushed by the Wings (now known as the Motor City Machine).

Take a look at the other 29 teams in the league. Where could Theodore possibly go? Which team would sign him (for more money than what Colorado's offering) where he is the hands-down starter? I mean, that's all he really wants, is to be the #1 guy in October and prove he's worth the big bucks. Oh, and winning certainly helps...so don't expect him to sign with a lousy team. 

Unfortunately for Theodore, he doesn't quite realize the current goaltending landscape in the National Hockey League is not conducive for veterans to have their cake and eat it too. Just getting a crumb comes with no guarantees for many goalies in their late-20's and early 30's. Here's a look at the handful of teams that Theodore could potentially get offers from:

NASHVILLE PREDATORS - The exhausted and over-worked Chris Mason was traded to St. Louis just so the Predators could seal up a deal with Dan Ellis. Nashville could probably afford Theodore for a few seasons, but the deal to move Mason was done strictly to give Ellis the chance he deserves, so there's no guarantee in Nashville. This decision to roll with Ellis is a perfect example of the youth movement in goal around the league, so Nashville secured the cost-efficient backup by signing Pekka Rinne to a one-way contract for $575k next season.

L.A. KINGS - Theodore would easily be the starter in Los Angeles next year, but why would he want to play for one of the worst defensive teams in the league? Playing for the Kings is a moot point anyways, because they want to re-sign RFA goalie Erik Ersberg and combine him with Jason LaBarbera, who is already signed for only $850k next season. Yep, the Kings are biding their time until wonderboy Jonathan Bernier takes over for good. And depending on whether Dan Cloutier is considered injured or not, $3.1 million could be wasted on paying his salary. If the Kings have to pay the desperate has-been, they certainly wouldn't pony up the dough needed to sign Theodore.

OTTAWA SENATORS - Theodore could try heading to Ottawa and challenge Martin Gerber for the starting role. But considering the type of streaks that Gerber has had in the last two years, that's not such a good idea. Plus now that Ottawa has shed themselves from the festering plague that was Ray Emery, expect Gerber to be more focused and potent than ever in Canada's capitol. It's also interesting to see if Ottawa will bring back Patrick Lalime, who was probably the only other significant "revival" story in the NHL besides Theodore.

Theodore, at the most, would get 30-35 games in Ottawa, so the Sens wouldn't offer him the big bucks. Then you have Brian Elliot ready to make the jump to the NHL. His goalie coach, Bill Howard, teaches a real interesting style of goal, so Elliot is poised to join the likes of goalies like Jimmy Howard, Wade Dubielewicz, Joey MacDonald and more. Theodore is too rich for Ottawa's blood, so the prospect of bringing back Lalime is on gaining momentum.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS - Theodore could aim for Washington. The Capitals have turned the page on Olaf Kolzig, a proud and long chapter in the organization's history. But it has been a less-than-exciting end to Kolzig's career, as Cristobal Huet was acquired at the trade deadline and the Caps didn't look back. The goaltending situation is interesting, mainly because Kolzig and Huet are both UFA's on Tuesday as well. The starting job in Washington could be secured before Theodore gets a chance, as talks have been progressing with Huet. 

Actually, Theodore would fit nicely - and would play for the right price - in Washington. If playing behind Alex Ovechkin gives him a chance to stay in the spotlight, he would certainly take it. This seems the most plausible place for him to end up. Brent Johnston is signed for only $825k and has security as the backup.

BOSTON BRUINS - Manny Fernandez is no guarantee since he was injured all of last season and Tim Thomas is a prized goalie since he is only making $1.1 million this year and is one of the front-runners in GAA and save percentage. Tuukka Rask is ready to play in the NHL, so is a potential back-up at any moment. Alex Auld is an un-restricted free agent but has no momentum. Theodore could come in with a solid salary and carry the Bruins for most of the season, but only if Boston decides to shed Fernandez' salary of $4.75 million this year.

Other goalie movement so far this summer has been a little scary for veterans, as wash-ups and under-achievers are being waived and bought out left and right. Cloutier, Emery, Andrew Raycroft and Marc Denis are all left to wander the darkness until a team sees a need for what's considered a "has-been" or "troubled soul" player. Add to this fact the number of young goalies stealing spots, the way of the veteran is truly being iced for good.

The most shocking part of this whole situation is the fact that Theodore has such a great relationship with goalie coach Jeff Hackett. Why he would want to compromise that relationship is beyond me. Goalie coaches do more for starting goalies than ever before and so much of what he did this past season relied on Hackett's dedication to the team. Does Theodore really not recognize this?! Or is the $elf-centeredness so extreme that he'd rather hold out and get his money or possibly end up on no team at all?!

There are a few situations that could be a much more successful alternative than giving Theo the money he wants and running dry on guys like Joe Sakic, Andrew Brunette and J-M Liles. Taking the fact that Theodore only seems to have strong seasons in the final year of his contract, let's take my following suggestions and ideas into consideration...

1. Let Theodore go and make a run for Huet, who is an incredibly poised goalie who plays a much bigger game in the crease (more size and better net coverage). Although Theodore probably has faster feet, Huet is not far behind in overall speed and quickness. Huet can make the incredible, awe-inspiring save in big games on a consistent basis and has more potential than Theodore. Huet's a pressure performer, meaning he is viable to take the Avs further than the second round and would perform better than Theodore did against Detroit.

2. Let Theodore go and develop the system through Peter Budaj and Tyler Weiman. This has to be the year that Weiman gets his chance to perform in the regular season. He could be a future franchise goaltender,  but the only way you can ever know what he's truly capable of doing is by GIVING HIM opportunities. Weiman deserves his chance this season, otherwise they are wasting un-tapped talent. Nothing would be more exciting than having these two young goalies leading the team. Budaj and Weiman as a tandem could be very successful just from the amazing work ethic both goalies have.

3. Bring back Marc Denis. He was a team leader in Columbus and his stats were no correlation to the way he played. When he was traded to Tampa Bay, the coaching and the downward spiral from Stanley Cup winners in 2004 pulled him down and weighed heavily on his abilities. Denis could return to Colorado and use his leadership and experience and become a rock in net again. I think Denis can still steal games and I'm a firm believer that he's suited to play in the Western Conference. Colorado could potentially sign him for under $2 million a year and get a goalie that's excited and determined to lead this team. It's a perfect fit and a great opportunity for him to duke it out with Budaj for the starting role throughout the season.

Now Denis sounds more like a move born out of desperation, but if you take into account the chemistry and emotional aspects of signing a player, this situation becomes somewhat similar to Lalime returning to Ottawa. Would you want a goalie that is for all intentional purposes "holding out" and thinks he deserves more money, or do you want a goalie who has played for you before, would embrace the opportunity and work his hardest to return to his excellent form? Hey, Detroit brought back Chris Osgood and look what happened there. How much did he cost...oh that's right, under $1 million. Look what happens when you take care of those who have helped you before - this paradigm has worked many times before and will work again in the NHL.

4. Let the UFA period determine the outcome. It could prove one of two things. Either the market proves there's no need for over-priced goalies in their late-20's, or there's a team that must fill a void and they are forced into signing him for what he wants. I'm no salary arbitrator, but I'm sure if this situation called for it, Theodore's most current season would not be as positive a factor as he would like...especially with the way it ended. 
  
Ultimately, Theodore is not recognizing the ever-changing pro goalie landscape. Younger goalies that develop through the draft end up saving teams money and problems, making them more effective and valuable. To me, Colorado's best bet would be to give Budaj, Weiman, Mike Wall and Peter Delmas the chance to rise up, instead of landing the big fish in a tiny pond. Just look at the growing number of minor-league goalies being used (thanks to their low salaries) successfully and look at the dying number of veterans goaltenders. 

Theodore would be smart to sign for what Colorado is willing to give him. Do unto others as they have done unto you. If Theodore had any respect for the team that gave him a second chance, he would have already signed.

        

Scott Parker isn't considered as a valuable player at first glance, but ask any of his teammates and they will all say he's the type of hockey player you want on your side at all costs. The Sheriff is the only player in the league that can reduce Sean Avery to that of an angry dwarf and Dion Phaneuf to nothing more than a scrawny punk.

And now the Sheriff's back for another season in an Avalanche jersey. Excellent, duuude.

Signed to a nice and neat one-year deal for a $500,000 piece of pie,  Parker saw limited action in just 25 games under former head coach Joel Quenneville, yet still made his presence felt with 70 penalty minutes, plenty of hits and some much-needed physical play. Although he was not given many opportunities on a team focused on speed and general offensive prowess, Parker was still an impact in numerous games and provided the team with that huge physical power forward, a role he truly embraces.

This role is still a necessary piece of the puzzle and overall I feel that Parker's influence on games has been greatly underestimated, undervalued and underappreciated over the last two seasons. It was no coincidence that Colorado went on an absolute tear when he was acquired at the trade deadline of the 2006-07 season. I'm not saying he was the main force behind the almost-incredible run for the playoffs (everyone will agree it was Peter Budaj), I'm just saying that Parker does much more for the team than many casual fans realize.

Parker is not just an intimidating presence on the ice, he is also a leader in the lockerroom and off the ice as well. Yes, he still fits the mold of the classic and historic enforcer in hockey, which is more and more becoming a part of a dying breed. Yes, he is a lone warrior of sorts, battling to keep his career afloat during the current transition to more speed and quickness. But he's also a fan-favorite, a crowd-pleaser, even a bit nostalgic with the whole Harley Davidson motorcycle thing. His non-profit organization, Parker's Platoon, does some great things for kids who have lost parents due to war or other military reasons, as his presence is also felt on a local, charitable level.

His incredible work ethic is another important trait he brings to the team. You cannot win the Stanley Cup on talent alone, as it takes plenty of grit, determination, character and experience. Parker possesses all of those traits and placed in certain situations, could even chip in with a few goals and assists. I can tell you from personal experience that Parker has a cannon of a slapshot...it's extremely underrated.

Parker's overall fantasy value will slightly rise with Tony Granato behind the bench. The fact he was re-signed is a good indication that the Avs have plans for him, possibly a more sturdy role on the fourth line or whatever type of "checking" line is put together. Parker's achillees heel will always be his skating and his speed. Unable to keep up, Parker is often touted a liability or a typical big man...just tough, nothing else. I really think if he's put in a position to challenge defenders by forechecking and chasing the puck, he could put some pucks home.

        

So the Colorado Avalanche traded their first-round pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the trade deadline deal that brought Adam Foote back to Denver. Despite the fact this was a really deep draft for defensemen, especially in the first round, I still don't think you'll find many Avs fans complaining about a lack of a top-30 pick. No big deal. There are deeper drafts to come.

On KBPI earlier today (I was outside Pepsi Center supporting Willie B and his charity drive for Denver Rescue Mission) I mentioned that Foote was the "corner stone" or "key stone" of our defensive crew. That couldn't be more obvious after his leadership and physical play against the Wild and Red Wings, and for what it's worth, he played his best under the circumstances. I'm certain he wants to return for an entire season, so to me the deal to bring him back was a good one, especially when you consider the somewhat-maligned history the Avs have making first-round draft picks.

I say "somewhat" because the Entry Draft has an infinite number of possibilities when it comes to making selections. All general managers and owners have different modes of thought, and while scouting the Canadian Hockey League is fairly standardized and straightforward thanks to the quality of talent, the European landscape is much more cumbersome and is becoming ominous. Russia's lack of a transfer agreement with the IIHF is starting to cause problems for players like Evgeni Malkin to Columbus' newly-drafted Russian rock star, Nikita Filatov. It ends somewhere with the fact Jaromir Jagr and other European stars are constantly hounded to return to their home country for more money and tax-free options.

I say "somewhat" because Colorado has, of course, drafted incredible first-round players to the point where I don't even need to post them here (otherwise they wouldn't have won a pair of Stanley Cups). But at the same time, I think Adrian Dater did a great job digging up some of the bombs the Avs have dropped in the last decade. In the end, however, every NHL team has their list of Entry Draft duds, so it's just simple trivia to me.

The draft is all about making progress and what I call Situational Awareness, which means you adhere and react to the current landscape and make the decisions that best suit the needs for your club AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME. Every team wants players that instantly help their team compete for the Stanley Cup, but teams must be realistic and take their time. Some need to completely break down the house and re-build the entire foundation. Some need to fill holes at certain positions. Some don't need to do much at all (Detroit) and can take chances. 

Again, taking chances is something every NHL team does. There are some seasons where Colorado chose to take some chances with their picks, but that is mainly because they had the luxury of doing so. I mean, with players like Patrick Roy, a Peter Forsberg that still had a spleen, Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque and more, the present was already taken care of. The opportunity to try and hit that home run was there. But not anymore.

Not now. Not this year. Not in the suffocating summers of the salary cap era, where the Avs simply can't afford to lose an opportunity to bolster their blueline. Especially in a draft so incredibly deep with potent defensemen, I'm glad the front office realized that making good, secure decisions with the limited number of picks is more important than trying to land the big fish or the diamond in the rough.

Avs fans everywhere were left to twiddle their thumbs and wonder what could have been as the first round took place on Friday afternoon. It was truly the Draft of the Defenseman, as picks #2 through #5 were all highly-prized blueliners, including Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, Alex Pietrangelo and Luke Schenn. Overall, six out of the top 13 players were defensemen...and it didn't stop there. Ten out of the top 20 were defenseman, many of which had tremendous seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). 

Everyone and their dogs knew Tampa Bay was taking Steven Stamkos with the #1 overall pick, and why wouldn't they? The kid is a certified superstar, team leader and dynamic offensive threat FOR NEXT SEASON and he will more than likely do what Vincent Lecavalier could not - make an instant impact. Stamkos is already being compared to Steve Yzerman, which totally boggles my mind, but then again that's exactly what Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby do to me, so why not Stamkos? Only time will tell.   

Watching the first round unfold, I realized the inherent risks that teams are forced to deal with as players develop and move along. It's a fine line between good and bad picks, and it seems as if the way to the Stanley Cup is by developing your prospects, not drafting them and just trading them away. Just look at the Red Wings and their picks since their Stanley Cup repeat in 1998. Developing a consistent core of young players that can lead a team in their mid-20's is something all scouting staffs aim for.

Overall, it was a fairly interesting draft despite the lack of household names. I loved some of the picks in the first round, including Columbus sticking with Filatov and Phoenix surprising everyone by taking a Russian by the name of Tikhonov. The kid was raised in California and speaks great English, but his body language walking to the potium said so much more than words. He looks like a potential superstar and I expect him to make a lot of noise on a very young Phoenix team.

Here are some of my thoughts with a fantasy twist on the Avs' picks today in the NHL Entry Draft:

1. CAMERON GAUNCE - D - #50 Overall
An award-winning rookie defenseman in the OHL with size and scoring. The 6'3", 203-pound Sudbury native led his team with 10 goals and 30 assists and was named the OHL's Rookie of the Year. Should continue developing nicely in the OHL next year and has tremendous upside for a fast-moving team like Colorado. 

*2. PETER DELMAS - G - #61 Overall
A lanky (6'2" 170-pound) and laid-back goalie with plenty of potential. Delmas was named to the All-Rookie Team after leading the QMJHL with a 2.81 goals-against average for Lewiston. Played tremendous at the Top Prospects game and was ranked third among available North American goaltenders in this draft. Continues to add depth in net with Tyler Weiman and Jason Bacashihua already in the mix.

3. KELSEY TESSIER - F - #110 Overall
An offensive star with explosive speed in the QMJHL. Led the Quebec Remparts in scoring with 81 points (36g/45a) in 68 games. Tessier is small in stature at only 5'9" and 170-pounds, but his forechecking and penalty killing are to behold.

4. MARK OLVER - F - #140 Overall
Olver played for Northern Michigan in the NCAA last year and had 15 goals and 15 assists in 30 games last season.

5. JOEL CHOUINARD - D - #167 Overall
Another defenseman in the CHL, the Victoriaville blueliner chipped in seven goals and 28 assists in 69 games last season.

6. JONAS HOLOS - D - #170 Overall
The European defenseman played for Sparta Sarpsborg in the Norway Elite League and had 23 points in 49 games last season.

7. NATHAN CONDAN - F - #200 Overall
A high school player in Wassau, Wisconsin, Condan had 33 goals and 26 assists in just 23 games last season.  

*#61 overall pick acquired from Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Brad Richardson. Richardson was maligned last season with injuries and had limited time in the lineup under Joel Quenneville and he will be a great third-liner for the Kings.

In closing, Colorado has taken a lot of chances over the years in the Entry Draft by going for players that were not necessarily proven to develop into solid NHL players. But with every team taking their chances, success will ultimately lie in how fast these draft picks can develop and how fast they can make the transition to the NHL. I feel that this year the Avs did a tremendous job choosing players that are guaranteed to become NHL players. I am especially interested in Delmas and Tessier and will be curious to see how Tessier skates in rookie camp.

Now that the Entry Draft is in the books, expect the Avalanche to start making salary cap decisions and make some moves to secure some huge names that could test the free-agency market. Colorado, along with the Rangers and Penguins, will probably be the busiest teams between now and July 1st.

        

So the Avalanche have once again plucked talent from the NCAA trifecta in Colorado by acquiring Marty Sertich from the Dallas Stars organization for a conditional draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Sertich spent most of the last two seasons with the Iowa Stars in the American Hockey League, but the move is an interesting one for a number of reasons:

1. There could be a ton of potential for the former CC Tiger standout and Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. His size will always be an issue at the NHL level, but there's no reason he cannot be the next Theo Fleury. His speed and finesse and overall game awareness will definitely provide some solid depth at the center position.
 
2. Sertich doesn't mesh well on a team like Dallas - a defensive-minded and physical team. He is a much better fit in Colorado, where speed and vision can activate lethal wingers like Milan Hejduk. Sertich's fantasy value certainly increases with this move, as he led the Iowa Stars in scoring with 27 goals and 25 assists for 52 points in 79 games and could potentially chip in 15-20 points next season.

3. Tony Granato is known to interact and communicate very well with younger players in the organization. Considering Sertich's ties to Colorado, this move could have chemistry written all over it. Sertich is a potential team leader and his impact on the CC Tigers hockey club will never be forgotten.

Sweden's Per Ledin is a very interesting choice for the Avs and actually brings some excitement to the start of the offseason. Yes, we have another Swede with a flair for the physical play. Of course he is not nearly as gifted as someone like Peter Forsberg, but the guy can put points on the board.



Ledin Photo Courtesy: HR71 Elite League

I actually see Ledin having more fantasy value than most would expect, as he could fill the biggest void in the Avs' lineup over the past two seasons - grit and tanacity combined with quickness. He even made Dobber's ramblings, which proves he has a chance to eclipse the lineup come October.

Considering Scott Parker ended his season early with an injury and never really seemed to get the ice time he deserved on a team focused around speed, maybe Granato and the front office are trying to key in on filling that giant void. I think he has a legitimate chance at a roster spot, especially if he can gel with another Swede or Euro player on the squad. This is similar to Jaroslav Hlinka's situation just one year ago.

Overall, both acquisitions are pretty exciting as the NHL Entry Draft nears and both players have great traits that would fit well on the Avs, giving them some fantasy value. We will definitely be keeping an eye on Sertich, as he received some big praise from the Avs for his offensive abilities.

        

When The Hockey Guild's first season came to a close following our "Skate with the Stars" celebrity charity game at Quest for the Crown, there was simply no time to truly celebrate what we had accomplished in less than six months. Putting together the entire event with less than a handful of very close friends is quite a feat, especially when you consider 26 teams chose to come together to help the National Hockey League fight cancer.

Sure, it was almost a perfect ending to Season 1, but considering a certain Team Gold goaltender represented The Hockey Guild with an upsetting 9-7 loss to Team Blue, there was no way we were going to feel good about what had transpired the previous three days.  But as a goaltender, I will tell you that it is in situations like this where the possibility of over-indulging in praise and glory can result in complacency.

"No, you musn't. You didn't come this far just to throw it all away."

Summers are a time to get away from the daily grind of covering pro hockey, as there's really not much to do in June besides prepare for the NHL Entry Draft (Friday in Ottawa) and then when the Free Agency period opens on July 1. But at the same time it is a rare opportunity to refine, restructure, reset. Taking advantage of this is something we could not allow to happen.

It is this frame of mind that we are dedicated to displaying in the months of June,  July and August. We do not want to throw away the gifts we were lucky enough to receive during Season 1, so it is with great honor that I am announcing the new launch of The Avalanche Guild for Season 2.
 
This site will develop nicely over the summer. Right now you have the core - which includes a home for adult teams and players that participate in our pair of on-ice events with the Avalanche at Pepsi Center along with our outstanding fantasy hockey analysis, team links, in-depth sources and much more. I include my unique goaltending analysis that you can find weekly at DobberHockey.com and we also include radio clips used in our Gross Misconduct show on Mile High Sports Radio 1510 AM.

Our Avalanche After-Hours program was amazing for me to watch develop in the second half of the season. Adult teams were so thankful of the opportunity to skate - much less play a real game - on Pepsi Center ice, that we were in turn even more thankful to the Avs organization for their support.

I will never forget the game between Old Style's two crews and one player busted a pane of glass with a slapshot. The kid looked like he just saw a mangled corpse, pale face and wide eyes and everything. Not only did the conversion crew get a laugh out of it, but they switched out the glass, cleaned it up...and fast. They truly treated the two teams and the whole event as if we were professionals, and that is when it really clicked. The Avalanche is the most classy NHL organization around - and I don't need to experience 28 others to know this is true.

"After-Hours" games are taking a step up for Season 2. While there is now a $100 team registration fee in order to participate, this does a number of things. It locks down the game and date of your choice and it also gives you the opportunity to get the best seats possible at the best prices available, guaranteed.

And right here at The Avalanche Guild is where you can now interact with your teammates and the opposition by posting comments on the article dedicated to your "After-Hours" game! You can also post PA announcements that we will print out and read over the PA system during your game.