Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic has said more than once the team won’t make big headlines when NHL free agency begins at 10 a.m. Friday.

“On July 1, we’re not going to go after a big splash,” Sakic said June 17.

The Avs, however, are more than $20 million under the salary cap, and Sakic can change his mind in going for a big name or two to fill up at least three big-league roster spots. He will sign a handful of players to replenish his American Hockey League roster in San Antonio.

In rebuilding the Avs’ 23-man roster, Sakic has 15 players under contract —- plus soon-to-be-signed restricted free agents in forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikhail Grigorenko, defensemen Tyson Barrie and Duncan Siemens and goalie Calvin Pickard.

That combined 20-player list features 11 forwards (including 2015 first-round draft pick Mikko Rantanen), seven defensemen (including 2011 first-round pick Duncan Siemens) and two goalies. Avs coach Patrick Roy likes to carry 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies.

If the Avs don’t add a top-four defenseman or a top-nine forward in free agency, the team of last season (39-39-4) will be relatively the same. But Sakic has said he trusts that his “core” is on the doorstep of winning consistently.

Sakic said he will continue to pursue signing forward Shawn Matthias, whom the Avs acquired from Toronto before the trade deadline in February. The unrestricted free agent wants to play in Colorado, and the team wants him back, Sakic said. Forward Mikkel Boedker, who is in the same situation after being acquired from Arizona before the deadline, is looking for bigger money and will be harder to re-sign. But the Avs will wait to see if Boedker is available after Friday’s frenzy.

The Avs will sign a goalie or two during free agency because only two are under contract with the organization: Semyon Varlamov and Spencer Martin. Barring injury, Pickard will be re-signed this summer and serve as one of Colorado’s two goalies on opening night. Martin is pegged to be the No. 1 guy in San Antonio. and his backup has yet to be determined.

On the market

Denver Post hockey reporter Mike Chambers looks at five unrestricted free agents who could help the Avalanche without breaking the bank. These players are generally affordable side pieces, the kind Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic seeks. In alphabetical order:

D Jason Demers — The Avs need another right-handed shot on the blue line and Demers, 28, could help them in all areas. Demers, who was born in Dorval, Quebec, and played against Patrick Roy’s team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was with the Dallas Stars the last two seasons, with a $3.4 million salary cap hit — probably his current market value.

RW Kyle Okposo — Longshot for the Avs. He scored 22 goals for the New York Islanders last season, reaching 20 for the third time in his eight NHL seasons. Colorado probably would have to devote $20 million to the former Minnesota Gopher, but it doesn’t sound like the team is willing to invest that kind of money in any free agent.

LW Jamie McGinn — The former Avalanche player combined for 22 goals in Buffalo and Anaheim last season after being traded from Colorado to theSabres last summer. McGinn, 27, had a terrific season after a back injury and surgery limited him to only 19 games in 2014-15 with Colorado. He made $3 million last season in the last year of a two-year contract he signed with the Avs. One of his best friends is Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog.

D Luke Schenn — The right-handed shooter from the 2008 draft class (No. 5) doesn’t score much but is a beast in physical play. The Avs could use a stay-at-home defenseman to help the development of young blueliners Chris Bigras and Nikita Zadorov. Schenn, 26, made $3.6 million for Philadelphia and Los Angeles last season.

D Patrick Wiercioch — The former University of Denver standout wasn’t qualified as a restricted free agent by Ottawa. Thus he becomes a unrestricted free agent at age 25. Wiercioch’s best NHL days might be ahead of him, although the Senators didn’t think he was worth a promotion from his $2.7 million salary last season. This is a nice two-way defenseman who could be signed for about 2 million.