NHL Free Agency: 8 Forwards the Colorado Avalanche Should Target This Offseason

The Colorado Avalanche are a team with a lot of promise, but also with a lot that is unknown.

The Avalanche were the most injured team in the Western Conference this past season, which made it very hard for them to get things going offensively or defensively.

After the franchise hit a low that has really never been seen by this franchise since it moved to Denver, some changes are going to be needed.

I have already discussed some goalies and defensemen that could benefit the Avalanche for next season. Now it's time to discuss what forwards the Avalanche should target.

Brad Richards

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 02: Brad Richards #91 of the Dallas Stars skates against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on April 2, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

There have been rumors floating around Denver since before the trade deadline that the organization might be interested in moving Paul Stastny.

Whether it was because he hadn't really lived up to his $6.6 million per year salary or because the organization was upset with the fact that his daddy didn't like that they traded Chris Stewart, a lot has been put out there.

Richards would be a perfect first-line replacement for Stastny.  He produces more, has won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe and is a premier playmaker in the league whose daddy keeps to himself.

If the Avalanche were to keep Stastny, Richards would still be a great addition, as Stastny could then center a line with Matt Duchene and Milan Hejduk. 

This could provide the Avalanche with a stellar first- and second-line punch not seen since the old Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg days.

Plus, Richards is a potent power-play quarterback. He will find open people, set up great one-timers for Erik Johnson and can also put the puck in the net.

The only major question with Richards is money. The Avalanche can easily afford what his salary will be, but will Josh Kroenke open the purse strings for this guy? 

Perhaps the aforementioned Sakic, who is now an assistant governor of the team, could convince young Kroenke that Richards could help bring the Avalanche back to their winning ways.

Michael Ryder

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MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 26: Michael Ryder #73 of the Boston Bruins takes a wrist shot through a crowd of Montreal Canadiens defenders in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on Apri

Depending on what happens for the Avalanche in regards to Tomas Fleischmann and Peter Mueller, a player like Ryder could be a great solution at right wing.

Having lost Chris Stewart, the Avalanche are in need of another right-handed shot on the wing that can serve as a secondary scoring threat.

Ryder is only six feet tall, but he looks and plays bigger than that.

If he were on a line with Stastny, he could be able to find the same kind of chemistry that Stastny had with Stewart.

Ryder only scored 18 goals this year, but he has hit the 30-goal mark in the not too distant past.  If he is paired with an elite playmaker, he could get back there.

Plus, while the Avalanche are committed to their build from within policy, the addition of a veteran player with the skills of Ryder could really help with the development of some of the younger players.

Steve MacIntyre

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ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 21: Steve MacIntyre #33 of the Edmonton Oilers skates prior to the start of the game against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on November 21, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

This one might be a little bit out of left field for most folks, but I think that MacIntyre would make a fantastic addition to the Avalanche.

The Avalanche are very small right now as a club and are in need of somebody who will cause people's heads to constantly be on a swivel every single time they are on the ice.

At 6'6" tall and 265 pounds, you will be seeing birds and hearing bells if you aren't well aware of where he is on the ice.

The Avalanche do have hard-hitting Ryan Wilson, but Colorado really could benefit from somebody who could muck things up in the corner and help create momentum on the third and fourth lines.

MacIntyre not only can get some big hits, but he is also capable of going toe-to-toe with absolutely anybody in the NHL.

He is a legit heavyweight that has made David Koci look silly on the Avalanche several times.

The addition of a guy like MacIntyre would help increase the toughness factor of the Avalanche, something that was definitely missing during the abysmal second half of the Avalanche's season.

Alex Ponikarovsky

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - MARCH 31: Goalie Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks covers up the puck before Alexei Ponikarovsky #27 of the Los Angeles Kings can get his stick on it during the first period in NHL action on March 31, 2011 at Rogers Arena in V

Ponikarovsky is another guy that I think would help the toughness factor for the Avalanche.

A solid fore-checker, Ponikarovsky knows how to use his size to his advantage.

At the same time, he brings a certain discipline that was also lacking from the Avalanche this year. 

Ponikarovsky only logged 36 penalty minutes. Compare that to Brandon Yip, who was not productive all year and took bad penalties in crucial moments, who had 54 penalty minutes.

Ponikarovsky is a definite upgrade for the Avalanche, and he wouldn't be very expensive either.

John Madden

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 02: John Madden #11 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum on March 2, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Wild 4-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Madden is one that probably isn't all that likely, but I think he would make a great addition to the Avalanche roster for one reason in particular.

The Avalanche penalty kill was the most horrible thing to watch for Avalanche fans this year. 

They would be out of position, get caught watching the puck, miss assignments, scramble and panic way too quickly and just stunk. 

John Madden has been a penalty-killing specialist his whole career and could help quarterback a unit that is in desperate need of somebody who knows what he's supposed to do in specific situations.

Madden is nearing the end of his career at age 37 but would be a great teacher for people like Ryan O'Reilly and T.J. Galliardi.

Zach Parise

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NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 02: Zach Parise #9 of the New Jersey Devils skates during an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadians at the Prudential Center on April 2, 2011 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Parise could be a great solution that once again falls into the directions where the Avalanche could go in case they choose to drop Fleischmann or Mueller.

Parise is a 40-goal scorer who might be available at a bit of a discount since he was seriously injured this year.

He is a restricted free agent, so the Avalanche would have to give up something in the way of draft picks in order to pick him up, but he could be well worth the exchange.

He's very young and has a great future, and he could absolutely light up the ice if paired with Matt Duchene.

Parise could be a bit of a stretch, but the idea of him in an Avalanche sweater makes me very excited.

Nikolay Zherdev

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BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 18: Nikolay Zherdev #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers scores against Ryan Miller #30 of the Buffalo Sabres in the second period of Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena

Zherdev might be one of the biggest steals of this coming offseason.

He is absolutely loaded with talent and just can't quite put everything together, but he would be incredibly dangerous once he does.

He spent a season away from the NHL playing in Russia but realized where the better hockey was and came back.

Zherdev could just be in need or the right line mates. 

He is a pure sniper and could just need a guy to feed him the puck in the right situations to get back to the near 30-goal seasons he had early in his career.

Philly seems like a good place for him, but the Avalanche would be foolish not to try to get this type of a talent at the discount he's bound to be available for.

Devin Setoguchi

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SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 23: Devin Setoguchi #16 of the San Jose Sharks in action against the Los Angeles Kings in game five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 23, 2011 in San Jose, Califo

Devin Setoguchi is the type of player that every single person wants to have on their team.

He comes to play every single night, works his butt off whenever he is on the ice, can score, can check and is willing to take punishment in order to get into scoring areas.

He works in pretty much every situation in the game and is effective in all zones.

The Sharks might have a hard time keeping him this year because he is worth far more than the $1.8 million that he is making this year and could be lured away by a nice pay raise.

The Sharks are currently strapped for cash with the salary cap and might have no choice but to let him go.

Setoguchi is an energy guy that could easily play on the second line and power-play unit. 

The Avalanche would instantly be better if they were able to add Setoguchi to their lineup.

Honorable Mentions

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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Simon Gagne #12 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on April 27, 2011 in Pitts

Simon Gagne: Great veteran leadership and effective secondary scorer.

Joel Ward: Another great third-line checker who can also bury the puck as well as the opponents.

T.J. Oshie: Reportedly on the outs in St. Louis, he is very skilled and quite young, though his attitude might be something that keeps several teams from picking him up.

Ville Leino: Another good checking forward who has been scoring some big goals for the Flyers in the playoffs.

Any one of these players mentioned in this article could help make the Avalanche a better team.

Something that Josh Kroenke needs to remember is that none of the teams that the Avalanche are trying to model themselves after got better through just developing the young talent they had.

It was through the acquisitions of some key veteran leaders that they managed to get over their final humps and win championships.

Let's hope that the Avalanche are able to put together a complete team that can stay healthy next season.

Also, if you think there is anybody that I missed, let me know.