One place that the Colorado Avalanche lacked depth this season was in defense. Colorado struggled to maintain seven defensemen on the roster, even claiming one on waivers to fill the gap. Now that the offseason has begun, it is time to look at where the Avalanche can improve. Colorado will have three free agents on the blue line as Brent Burns, Brett Kulak, and Nick Blankenburg are due to go to market. Here is a wishlist of defensemen that I hope the Avalanche can pick up during the summer to fill the holes.

Darren Raddysh

Darren Raddysh, a right-handed defenseman, played for Tampa Bay’s organization these past five years. He saw a dramatic increase in points (went from 37 to 70) with Victor Hedman out of the lineup this season. Raddysh is highly effective at moving the puck and helping with zone exits. This is something that the Avs struggled with during the Western Conference Finals. His powerful slapshot can help quarterback a power play and lead a charge to the net. The only downside would be that after a career year, Raddysh may ask for the higher end. I would expect him to ask for something over eight million. But having his IQ on the first and second pairing for the Avs could make the pay worth it.

Mario Ferraro

Mario Ferraro would be a dream come true for most Avalanche fans. Ferraro has played his entire career with the San Jose Sharks and can play both sides of the blue line. He is already familiar with Cale Makar’s game; they were defensive partners at UMass both seasons they played there. The Canadian plays a competitive style of game that allows him to be physical and block shots. Ferraro would also be useful on the penalty kill, filling the gap that Burns would leave. He will probably expect in the neighborhood of five million, but could play both top pair and second pair minutes.

Brett Kulak

I would like the Avalanche to keep Brett Kulak through free agency by signing him to an extension. Colorado gave up Samuel Girard to get him and should hold on to him for that. Kulak showed the Avalanche that he can play in any pairing in the lineup and that his “stay at home” style is something that works with the lower pairs. Kulak can play on the penalty kill and can occasionally throw in a point or two. Colorado may see him ask for a raise, wanting in the neighborhood of four million or so.

The Avalanche will have a little bit of work to do on the blue line no matter what route they decide. Hopefully, the players they choose to add will allow Sam Malinski to grow into more of an offensive threat and keep Makar as a Norris contender.