Colorado Avalanche

Jack Johnson is headed back to Colorado after the Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was traded to the Avalanche on Sunday, according to an announcement by the organization. In return, Chicago received 27-year-old defenseman Andreas Englund.

Johnson, 36, will now begin his second stint with Colorado after having played a key role for the organization during its run to its first Stanley Cup title in over two decades last season.

He signed a one-year, $950,000 deal with Chicago this past offseason but still managed to make it to the banner-raising ceremony for the Avalanche earlier in the year.

Johnson has been a solid presence since he first entered the league in the 2006-07 season with the Los Angeles Kings. Over his decade-plus professional career, he has also spent time with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers.

He has 316 points over his career and had just four points with Chicago in 58 games. He'll look to give some depth to a Colorado team that sits in third place in the Central Division with 71 points, just three points behind first-place Dallas and one behind Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Englund, who has struggled to find his footing in the league, will look to carve out a sizable role for himself in Chicago. He's played in just 69 NHL games since being taken in the second round of the 2014 draft by the Senators.

He played 36 games with Colorado this season and amassed three points on three assists. Prior to 2022, Englund played in just 33 NHL games and spent a lot of time with AHL affiliates.

The reigning champion Colorado Avalanche are the betting favorites to lift the Stanley Cup ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season.

The Avs are +380 (bet $100 to win $380) at DraftKings Sportsbook. In what might be the kiss of death for the team, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the second favorites at +700 as they look to end their lengthy title drought.

Stanley Cup Odds

• Colorado Avalanche (+380) 
• Toronto Maple Leafs (+700) 
• Florida Panthers (+900) 
• Carolina Hurricanes (+1100) 
• Tampa Bay Lightning (+1200) 
• Edmonton Oilers (+1500) 
• Calgary Flames (+1500)

Full odds available via DraftKings Sportsbook

Colorado isn't totally running it back from last year. Nazem Kadri, who had 28 goals and 59 assists, cashed in with a seven-year, $49 million deal from Calgary Flames. But the Avalanche otherwise retained many of their key players, so a repeat bid is well within reach.

It isn't totally uncommon for NHL teams to successfully defend their crown. The Tampa Bay Lightning went back-to-back in 2020 and 2021, and the Pittsburgh Penguins did the same in 2016 and 2017.

Of course, the Leafs have the pieces to think this is finally the year.

Aside from whether the team can cope with the weight of expectations, a goaltender pair of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov doesn't inspire a ton of confidence, though.

By this point, the Leafs fanbase has become accustomed to experiencing a level of heartbreak. But if this team fails to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the scars could last for a long time.

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The Colorado Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup Championship rings have been revealed, and Front Office Sports provided the details:

The Avs enjoyed a dominant season from start to finish. Their 56-19-7 record was good enough for 119 points, which was No. 1 in the Western Conference.

Colorado also went 16-4 in the Stanley Cup playoffs, which included sweeps over the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers.

The Avalanche then defeated the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to win their second-ever title.

Colorado's quest for another Stanley Cup ring begins on Wednesday when it hosts the Chicago Blackhawks. Before the game, the team will raise its championship banner into the rafters at Ball Arena.

Nathan MacKinnon had himself an excellent 2021-22 season and a postseason for the ages. No surprises, then, that he's getting paid in a major way.

The superstar forward has signed an eight-year extension with the Colorado Avalanche that reportedly has an average annual value of $12.6 million, tops in the NHL.

By AAV, MacKinnon, 27, is now just edging out Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, arguably the league's best player who has led the league in scoring in four of the past six seasons.

1. MacKinnon: $12.6 million AAV
2. McDavid: $12.5 million AAV
3. Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers: $11.6 million AAV
   
4. Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: $11.6 million AAV
5. Erik Karlsson, D, San Jose Sharks: $11.5 million AAV

In terms of total value among current contracts, Las Vegas Knights defenseman Shea Weber still tops the charts on his 14-year, $110 million deal, which runs through the 2025-26 season, though he didn't play last season and may be unofficially retired at this point.

In NHL history, Alex Ovechkin's previous 13-year, $124 million deal with the Washington Capitals is the most total money on a contract in league history.

MacKinnon's massive AAV will move the needle for superstar contracts to follow, however. He was fantastic in the 2021-22 season, scoring 32 goals and adding 56 assists in 65 games.

But he was downright special in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, posting a league-leading 13 goals to go along with 11 points as the Avs won the title. So a massive deal was always going to follow, and there is an argument to be made that it's even a team-friendly deal, given the duration.

However the deal is viewed, MacKinnon got paid, and handsomely. It's a strong deal for both the team and player as they look to repeat as champions in the 2022-23 campaign.