The Colorado Avalanche stunned the hockey world on Friday night with a major trade involving the Carolina Hurricanes, utilizing the Chicago Blackhawks to facilitate salary retention. Colorado sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina in exchange for a package that included Martin Necas and Jack Drury.
The Avalanche have been busy this season, with General Manager Chris MacFarland reshaping the team’s goaltending by trading away Justus Annunen and Alexandar Georgiev while acquiring Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. Despite these moves, Colorado still felt the need to strengthen its depth. MacFarland acknowledged this concern, stating, “It’s clear, we’re not deep enough. You’ve got to be deep to go four rounds.”
That lack of depth was a key reason behind trading Rantanen. Instead of signing him to a contract that could hinder their salary cap in future seasons, the Avalanche created cap flexibility, allowing them to potentially add more pieces ahead of the Four Nations Faceoff or the March 7 trade deadline.
Avalanche Still Searching for a Second-Line Center
Colorado has been looking to solidify its second-line center position since Nazem Kadri departed for the Calgary Flames and Gabriel Landeskog underwent knee surgery with no clear return date. While they were initially pleased with Casey Mittelstadt, acquired from the Buffalo Sabres for Bowen Byram last year, his performance has dipped, and with the team in win-now mode, they are looking for an upgrade.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet recently discussed Colorado’s plans on NHL Network, emphasizing that the Avalanche are not finished making moves.
“I think for Colorado, they aren’t done yet. They have some cap space and flexibility, and I believe they will continue to explore options, particularly among forwards and centers,” Friedman said. He added:
“They clearly haven’t been satisfied with the Casey Mittelstadt fit so far. I expect them to continue monitoring the market for players like Brock Nelson, who could be on their radar. I don’t anticipate the Avalanche being done at all.”
Who Could the Avalanche Target?
While Colorado awaits Landeskog’s return, they may place him on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to free up cap space for another acquisition. Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders is one potential target, though acquiring him may be challenging due to how the Islanders’ GM, Lou Lamoriello, operates.
Other possibilities include J.T. Miller, though a move for Sidney Crosby is unlikely. Regardless, the Avalanche are actively searching for a second-line center, and all signs point to them continuing their aggressive approach as the Four Nations Faceoff and trade deadline draw closer.
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