From what I gather they were looking at Grubauer but didn't want to take on Orpik's contract. Good deal for the Avs I think because they can actually use Orpik on a nightly basis and upgrade their situation in goal. Does not bode well for Varly's health/future.

Trading Orpik was huge, I think they could have signed Carlson either way but then they would have been filling out their roster with ELCs. Now they have flexibility to ice pretty much the same team as last year plus maybe another forward just by swapping Orpik out for an ELC defenseman