Carl Soderberg Signs 5-Year Deal With Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have signed center Carl Soderberg to a five-year deal with an AAV of $4.75 million, according to ESPN’s Craig Custance. It was reported on Thursday that Soderberg was looking for something in the neighborhood of $5 million per year, which seemed high, but he got close to that, plus term and a no trade clause from Colorado.

Carl Soderberg deal with Colorado is done. 5 years, 4.75 AAV.

— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) June 26, 2015

Further to @CraigCustance on Soderberg deal, contract includes full NTC in first 2 years and limited NTC in last three

— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) June 26, 2015

Carl Soderberg — (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)

The Avalanche acquired the rights to Soderberg in a trade with the Boston Bruins on Thursday that sent a 6th round pick to the Bruins. (That’s the 6th round pick the Bruins originally sent to the Avalanche in trade earlier in the season.) That allowed the Avalanche to jump the July 1 free agency gun and land Soderberg before anyone else had a shot.

Soderberg, 29, is a late bloomer, who has played just two full NHL seasons after playing most of his 20s in Sweden. Nonetheless, in those two seasons he’s been a strong presence for the Bruins, scoring 29 goals and 63 assists through 161 games.

The acquisition of Soderberg seems like a strong sign that the Avalanche are set on moving Ryan O’Reilly, who is asking for big money and the team doesn’t feel like they can come to an agreement with him. O’Reilly currently carries a cap hit of $6 million.