In the wake of a season that saw the Colorado Avalanche fail to live up to expectations, missing the playoffs for the second straight year, team brass was justifiably upset. In fact, they implied that changes may be coming.
“We’re not going to look for a quick fix, but we’ll have to explore options via trade, or whatever avenue to try to improve the club,” said Sakic in April.
Now, it seems that those changes might not just be tinkering around the edges, adding or subtracting a piece here or there. Instead, they might be the type that alter the very fabric of the franchise.
On Tuesday, TSN’s Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joined TSN 1040 in Vancouver to talk about, amongst other things, what he’s been hearing about the Avalanche’s potential offseason plans.
“The sense is that they’re willing to move just about anyone outside of Nathan MacKinnon,” said Dreger. “I find that to be a bit hard to believe, but Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche are big-game hunting. They know that they’ve got to do something fairly significant to turn this organization around, and the only way you can do that is by being bold and making some moves.”
Now, for the purposes of this article, we will assume that Dreger’s sources are correct. That the only untouchable of Colorado’s roster is MacKinnon. Other than him, (almost) nobody is safe (more on that later). We will now look at the major players they are most likely to move.
Other deals may be made. I am sure the Avalanche would love to move Reto Berra or the contract of Brad Stuart. This article is not about those type of moves. This is about the big boys. Will all of the players listed be traded? God, I hope not. However, at least one likely will.
Without any further ado, here are five major players that might be moved, in order of their likelihood:
5. Tyson Barrie
If this list was published on or before Wednesday, Barrie likely would have been at the top of it. We even published an entire article just on the merits of moving him. On Thursday, however, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic dispelled rumors that Barrie would be on the move. If he’s available, as a young, mobile, right-hand-shooting defensemen, he would attract plenty of interest.
Reasons to trade him: In Sakic’s mind, apparently not many in light of recent news. Now, the only reason would be if they can’t sign him and arbitration gets ugly.
Reasons to keep him: Elite offensive defensemen are hard to come by. The Avalanche don’t have any like-minded defensive prospects that fit the mold that are even close to NHL ready. For the price it would take to sign someone comparable on the free agent market, you might as well give the money to Barrie, who at 24, could very well still get better.
5 potential partners: Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets
Potential return: Top-4 defenseman/top-six forward and a second-round draft pick.
Likelihood of being moved: 10 percent.
4. Jarome Iginla
Iginla is undoubtedly the player on this list that the Avalanche brass would like to move the most. The problem is: He has a full no-movement clause in his contract, and he doesn’t want to move. If the team could convince him to waive his clause (as he did with the Calgary Flames), there would be interest, but he would dictate where he was dealt, which could diminish the return. Still, something to consider (especially in-season), as veterans that can score are always in demand for the playoff push. The Avs may have to retain a little salary to maximize their return.
Reasons to trade him: Trading Iginla could free up money to sign other players. At $5.333 million next season, he is vastly overpaid for the role he is suited for, which is a powerplay specialist. He still has a place in this league, but father time has caught up to Iginla some, and he was never all that fleet of foot to begin with.
Reasons to keep him: Because Iginla said so! The NMC means you need his permission to trade him. He also is very well-respected by everyone in the organization, from the locker room to the front office.
5 potential partners: Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets.
Potential return: Late first/early second-round draft pick.
Likelihood of being moved: 15 percent.
3. Nick Holden
Though not spectacular, Holden is a serviceable defenseman. A good skater, he will put up decent numbers offensively and will throw his weight around in the defensive end. He could be very attractive to teams without much cap space in need of blueline depth.
Reasons to trade him: The Avalanche simply have too many bodies on their blueline, especially since they say improving it is a priority. Nikita Zadorov and Eric Gelinas both play a very similar game to Holden, are younger and have more upside. The Avalanche also need to cut down their defensive-zone turnovers, Holden’s amongst the most egregious.
Reasons to keep him: With a cap hit of only $1.65 million, Holden is a very affordable player. At his best, he can help on both ends of the ice. He has some chemistry with Tyson Barrie and can play in any role when called upon (he’s even been used as a forward).
5 potential partners: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues.
Potential return: Mid-round draft pick.
Likelihood of being moved: 30 percent.
2. Semyon Varlamov
There are many reasons on both sides of the coin for the Avalanche when it comes to moving Varlamov. If they did, there could be plenty of interested teams. In terms of pure talent, Varlamov is amongst the top goaltenders in the league. Vezina contenders don’t come on the market very often.
Reasons to trade him: For one, there is a chance they could lose him for nothing next summer (more on that here). It’s also possible they simply want to hand the reins to Calvin Pickard, who needs to be re-signed. Though talented, Varlamov is maddingly-inconsistent. His overly-aggressive nature can be problematic for a team that allows as many shots on goal as the Avs. The team could use a more steadying presence, and the money they would save would help, too.
Reasons to keep him: When the Avalanche are winning, it is usually because Varlamov is their best player. When he is on his game, he can be unbeatable. Also, in today’s NHL, it behooves teams to have two capable goaltenders.
5 potential partners: Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs.
Potential return: First-round pick and a mid-level prospect.
Likelihood of being moved: 40 percent.
1. Matt Duchene
It pains me to include Duchene on this list. If I were in charge, he would be the player I would be the least willing to move (more on that here). He has game-changing offensive talent and can play center and wing. If he is available, the list of suitors could stretch around the block, especially considering $6 million/year is well under market value for a player of his caliber.
Reasons to move him: If Nathan MacKinnon is really the only untouchable player on the Avalanche roster, then it doesn’t bode well for Duchene. The two play a very similar style. Duchene is also somewhat streaky, and has clashed with head coach Patrick Roy at times. Finally, he would garner the most in return of any player on the Avalanche roster.
Reasons to keep him: Simply put, he is the Avalanche’s best offensive player. He is also an honest, hard-working player, who is still improving. You simply will not find his production for $6 million/year. Be it the Olympics, the upcoming World Cup or the All-Star Game, he is the outward face of the Avalanche. Finally, he absolutely LOVES Colorado and being a member of the Avs.
5 potential partners: Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators.
Potential return: Proven top-4 defenseman/top-6 forward, top prospect and a first-round draft pick.
Likelihood of being moved: 55 percent.