NHL Rumors: Colorado Avalanche Should Extend Spending Spree with P.A. Parenteau

The Colorado Avalanche raised their share of eyebrows earlier this month when they inked winger David Jones to a four-year, $16 million deal.

It appears, though, that the Avs aren’t planning on closing their pocketbooks just yet.

According to the Denver Post, Colorado is likely to pursue Islanders wing P.A. Parenteau when free agency opens tomorrow. The 29-year-old Parenteau racked up 67 points playing alongside Jonathan Tavares last season.

For all that Colorado may have overpaid in re-signing Jones—and likely raised Parenteau’s asking price in the process—bringing in another versatile offensive weapon is just what the Avs need.

They’re not going to attract top-shelf targets such as Zach Parise, but Parenteau is a sign-able talent who can help with the Avalanche’s biggest weaknesses from 2011-12.

Despite a sensational season from veteran goalie Jean-Sebastian Giguere, the Avs finished squarely in the middle of the pack, with 41 wins. The culprit isn’t difficult to identify: Colorado’s offense ranked 25th in the NHL, with just 2.43 goals per game.

The even-less-impressive Islanders aren’t the obvious choices for finding scoring help, but Parenteau’s 18 goals and 49 assists show that he knows how to make things happen.

Holding onto Jones was a good first step in repairing the attack, but new blood is needed and Parenteau seems a plausible candidate.

Colorado will be decidedly better served by pouncing on a good forward like Parenteau than entering a (futile) bidding war for the services of a Parise or an Alexander Semin.

If they make a play for one of the bigger names and lose out, the Avs may find that Parenteau and other options at his skill level have already been signed out from under them.