Report: Colorado Avalanche plan on being aggressive in the offseason market

The Colorado Avalanche made waves in the 2019 postseason with a first-round upset of the top-seeded Calgary Flames and then pushed the San Jose Sharks to 7 games. General Manager, Joe Sakic spoke recently at his team's offseason media availability and stated that the Avalanche plan to more aggressive in free agency this year in order to get his team to the next level. 

"We already have targeted players in mind if they become available that we're gonna want to talk to about joining our club. We see positions of need, of what we're looking to do. There's a few guys that we're gonna want to talk to if they become available. We'll be more aggressive this year ... but if it doesn't work out with the players that we want to talk to we're not just gonna go spend on anybody. We want the right players and the right fit."

The Avalanche will head into free agency with 31 million to spend and even if $8 - $10 million is committed to Mikko Rantanen's new contract, that leaves Colorado with plenty to work with. The team would like to add another superstar forward in the top 6 and will need to look at a backup goalie as UFA, Semyon Varlamov most likely won't be brought back.

Colorado has made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, currently holds picks No. 4 and No. 16 in the upcoming draft and Sakic has a great young core to build around with Rantanen, MacKinnon, and young stud Cale Makar. The Avalanche will be aggressive this offseason and with top end free agents like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, Erik Karlsson, Jordan Eberle, and Tyler Myers all available, who is Sakic going to target to get his team to elite level status?