Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

McLeod one of seven to agree on new deals

Avalanche has busy day on signing front

By Rick Sadowski, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 14, 2008 at 3:15 p.m.

Text size  
Cody McLeod, right, set an Avalanche team record for rookie penalty minutes last season.

Photo by Evan Semon © The Rocky

Cody McLeod, right, set an Avalanche team record for rookie penalty minutes last season.

More Colorado Avalanche

More stories »

The Avalanche on Monday re-signed restricted free agent Cody McLeod to a one-year contract and agreed to terms with six other players, including minor league goalie Tyler Weiman and former University of Denver forward Aaron MacKenzie.

Also agreeing to terms were forwards Philippe Dupuis and Nathan Smith, defenseman Darcy Campbell and goalie Jason Bacashihua.

McLeod, 24, signed a two-way contract. He would earn $522,500 if he plays in the NHL and considerably less if he is sent to the minors.

He had four goals, five assists and an Avalanche rookie-record 120 penalty minutes in 49 games last season. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound left wing, McLeod added one goal, one assist and 26 penalty minutes in 10 playoff games.

"Cody brings toughness and energy to our organization," Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said in a statement. "He was an important role player for our team last season and we are looking for him to do the same this year."

Minor leaguer Weiman, 24, posted a 9-19-1 record with two shutouts, a 3.32 goals-against average and .903 save percentage for the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League.

Bacashihua, 25, was acquired from St. Louis on Nov. 8 and went 5-11-2 at Lake Erie with one shutout, a 3.35 average and .901 saves percentage.

Dupuis and Campbell were acquired from Columbus on Jan. 22 and spent the rest of the season with the Monsters.

Dupuis, 23, had 12 goals and seven assists in a combined 46 games between Lake Erie and the Syracuse Crunch. Campbell, 24, had two goals and five assists in a combined 36 games between Lake Erie and Syracuse.

Smith, 26, had 22 goals and 28 assists in 68 games with the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Penguins. MacKenzie, 27, had five assists in 55 games with the Peoria (Ill.) Rivermen.

Comments

  • July 14, 2008

    4:04 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Mike1969 writes:

    Whoopdi-Doo. 17 mil under the cap and this is who we sign? WTF!

  • July 14, 2008

    4:18 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    farsidefan writes:

    I can't believe it ! Hold me back ! Darcy Tucker and Cody McCleod in the same year !
    Good grief..I go away for vacation, come back to this.
    Ditto Mike...

  • July 14, 2008

    5:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    newshound writes:

    I think Kroenke is somehow trying to figure out how to use that cap space for the Nuggets. Funny that the Red Wings got better, and the Avs are still content

  • July 14, 2008

    6:33 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    carmela_avs writes:

    I guess there are no more good players out there to sign! Haha, what's happening to these people, why can't they just get good players, and at the same time not let go of of good players?

  • July 14, 2008

    8:49 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bxwatso writes:

    I could just buy DU tickets and get the same level of talent.

  • July 15, 2008

    11:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    RustyWon writes:

    I'm a homer, but this is getting ridiculous.
    Demitra, Blake, Rolston were certainly do-able with our situation.
    Letting Brunette go back to Minnesota was a terrible move too.

    Oh, and we're going to need someone who can stop shots.

    Meanwhile, our rivals get stronger.

    This lust for mediocracy is not good. If we're going to put our eggs in one basket, it should be with the Avs.
    Screw basketball.

  • July 15, 2008

    12:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Jamaro writes:

    Well its called re-signing a checking line player, that is young and showed he could play in the NHL. I agree that the Avs missed out on a few big names but if you look at the contracts that were given out this off-season it is easy to see why the Avs stayed away from some of the big names, way to much money was being thrown out. But again with fans its all about names and nothing else. Avs might struggle this year, but they have to get young talent playing time, they need to catch back up from all the years of buying players and develope a solid core.

    This is going to be a young team, with or with out the return of Joe.

  • July 15, 2008

    1:37 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BonBon writes:

    Jeez guys, it's okay to sign one of our own RFA's who can mix it up on the checking line. Every team has to have them you know? Just because FG didn't sign every single big name UFA out there (and overpay them) doesn't mean that the Avs will stink it up. We already had most of our team under contract and we're now just waiting on Joe and Svatos. Are you honestly going to say that a team with Stasny, Hejduk, Wolski, Smyth, Svats and hopefully Joe, as our top 6 won't be good enough to contend? Our Dmen are very, very good this year (best since 2000-1 I believe) and next year, we'll have plenty of cap space to sign Stasny to a multi-year contract and maybe go after a big time goalie (Miller?) who will be UFA next year. Arm chair GM's are a dime a dozen, and this year, all the pessimists are jumping up and down. Jump off the bandwagon anytime guys, there are 29 other teams out there who would just love to have ya.

  • July 15, 2008

    2:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    I'm not an Avanalanche fan but I saw that McCleod kid play pretty well with huge cajones. I'd be happy they could sign him to a cheap deal. They do need to make a splash though.

  • July 16, 2008

    9:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    GJrodburner writes:

    Jamaro and BonBon, where the heck have you been!!! I appreciate your hockey sense, and can see you guys follow the sport and team in more than this paper. Do you follow the NHL on XM radio? Just a great tool to have for increasing ones hockey I.Q., in accessing the Aves when I'm on the road, or way, way, way out of town. Yes, you have to know more about the game and the Aves than the big name signings. I'm not busting out on some of the pessimists, in fact I like the fact that they are posting! Stan K. shouldn't be allowed a free ride in the community when it comes to this great team. Outstanding posts from both of you!!

    Obviously you two understand that the Aves have to go through this cycle of youth; like it or not, in order to build a core that can lead this team like the original core did in Quebec and then here in Colorado. I have been critical of some of the work that FG has done, but maybe, and mind you this is really through the "eyes" of both of your postings, I think I can see the light. Personally, if we can get any type of GT during the season, and we don't have a dearth of injuries like we did last season, this team could very well be playing in the WCF. There is no way that the Defense will ever match the 2000-2001 Foote, Bourque, and Blake blue line. That will never happen again. That is by far my fondest memory of the so called "big spending" days of the Aves. When that group clamped down and dug out pucks in the corners and along the walls, you'd had better have an extra bottle or two of Absorbing Junior, cause brother you were going to need it and two bags of freakin' ice!