Breaking: Colorado Avalanche closing in on deal to sign 27-year-old forward.

It’s slim pickings out there on the NHL free agent market.

Although I wasn’t the biggest Daniel Sprong fan around, he was the best free agent left if you were in need of a forward. He might not be much of an all-around threat, but back-to-back 40 points is nothing to sneeze at, and for Vancouver to get that for under a million is solid value. With him gone, there really isn’t all that much to get excited about if you’re looking at things from an Avalanche perspective.

Would Colorado be better off just going into training camp and seeing if a young guy can earn a spot? Maybe, but there is one guy out there that does make sense for the Avalanche. And no, I don’t think it’s Tyler Johnson.

Many have pointed to the NHL veteran as someone that the Avalanche should look to lock up for one year on a cheap deal, but I’m not as bullish on the fit. The soon-to-be 34 year old is not the player he once was, but on top of that, he’s also not really a center at this point in his career. Does Colorado really need another small winger? I don’t think so, so that’s why I’m willing to pass on the two-time Stanley Cup Champion.

The guy I’m targeting for the Avalanche isn’t a big name, and wouldn’t be a difference maker, but is someone who can add a little bit of a different dimension to the fourth line. He also happens to be a Stanley Cup champion.

I’m talking about Steven Lorentz, who played this past season with the Florida Panthers.

Would he move the needle all that much for this team? Probably not, but I wouldn’t mind seeing them bring in another forward with some NHL experience, and that’s what he has. At 6’4″, he’d bring a little different look to that bottom six, as he’d be the biggest guy in the group. He also uses that size as much as he can, as his 12.57 hits-per-60 were more than any regular skater on the Avalanche recorded last season. Given what Sprong signed for, I can’t imagine he gets anything more than league minimum. Bring him in and let him fight it out with the other depth forwards they have.

You really aren’t going to get all that much offense from him (3 points in 38 games), and that’s okay. He’d be someone you sign to fit into that 12/13/14 spot on the depth chart up front. He’s got experience at center, has killed penalties in the NHL previously (averaged 1:20 a game for San Jose two years ago), and for a big guy, he can skate. Do you want him playing in your top nine? Definitely not, but as a fourth liner, he’s just fine. As of right now, this team doesn’t have much in terms of center depth beyond Nathan MacKinnon, Casey Mittelstadt, and Ross Colton. Bringing in someone who has played a little bit of center at the NHL level isn’t the worst idea.

If the Avalanche don’t go out and get another forward, that’s just fine by me. There really isn’t much out there that would move the needle for them, and they can see what their youth can provide early in the season. But if they’re looking to add someone with some NHL experience, Lorentz should be the guy.