In an exclusive interview Thursday, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic swept away rumors that young defenseman Tyson Barrie will be traded and discussed a handful of other issues, including Nathan MacKinnon’s pending contract extension and next week’s NHL draft in Buffalo, N.Y.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger recently speculated that Barrie, 24, would be moved this season. But Sakic said he is scheduled to meet with Barrie’s agents during the June 24-25 draft and work on a long-term contract with the restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

“I’d like to do a long-term deal with Tyson. If that doesn’t work out, it’s expected he’ll go to arbitration,” Sakic said. “Either way, he’ll be here.”

Barrie was Colorado’s fifth-leading scorer last season, with 49 points (13 goals) in 78 games. Among NHL defensemen, he was 13th in scoring.

MacKinnon, 20, also is a restricted free agent, but coming off his three-year, entry-level contract. Sakic said the No. 1 selection in the 2013 draft will be signed by training camp in September but isn’t sure whether it will be a long-term deal with unrestricted free agency at the end of it or a bridge deal taking him to another RFA situation.

“Whatever the two parties decide,” Sakic said. “We had initial talks. Not much lately, but I’m sure it’s going to heat up in the summer. And I’m sure we’ll have it done by training camp.”

Sakic previously said MacKinnon, the 2014 NHL rookie of the year, is the Avs’ only untouchable player on the trade market after two nonplayoff seasons. That still might be true, but Sakic maintains belief in his core group, which includes forwards Gabe Landeskog and Matt Duchene, defenseman Erik Johnson and goalie Semyon Varlamov, plus Barrie and MacKinnon.

“Our core, we’re expecting to make the next step,” Sakic said. “Our core group is a group that knows they have to make the next step and mature on how they play the game.”

Sakic also responded to questions about the following: