The Colorado Avalanche have been aggressive in their approach to the 2018 offseason so far. To continue that trend, Colorado has now resigned defenseman Mark Alt to a two-year deal that will keep him as a member of the Avalanche through the 2019-20 season.
Alt, who was claimed on the waiver wire on the day of the trade deadline last season from the Philadelphia Flyers, contributed in seven of the Avalanche’s last eight games, but did not see time in the playoffs. Prior to arriving in Denver, Alt was splitting time between the Flyers, where he played in just eight games, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.
The Avalanche still have many decisions to make over the offseason, but at least they have yet another defenseman to fall back on in case the injury epidemic hits Colorado once again. The Avalanche now have 11 defensemen signed to their NHL roster.
Alt has given the Avalanche a lift before, and he can do it again; especially at the cheap price point of a two-way deal worth $700,000 the first year and $750,000 the second year. It will be an uphill battle for ice time with so many other defensemen on the roster, but the Alt signing gives the Avalanche some much-needed insurance.