Colorado Avalanche: Scouts Still Swarming to Games

NHL scouts are swarming to Colorado Avalanche games, ostensibly to look into a big trade before the March 1st deadline.

Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic doesn’t really want to trade a core player like Matt Duchene or Gabriel Landeskog. That’s obvious by his ask — essentially an NHL-level defenseman, draft pick and a prospect. That’s an “and” there — he wants all three. I’m not sure — he might be willing to throw a player like Patrick Wiercioch or Blake Comeau in to sweeten the pot, but he essentially wants a king’s ransom for Duchene or Landeskog.

That tells me he doesn’t really want to trade either of those players unless a team is willing to radically over-pay for him. I’m fine with that.

Nonetheless, NHL scouts are still flocking to Avalanche games. According to Avs insider Rick Sadowski, here are the scouts attending the Colorado game against the Pittsburgh Penguins:

That’s 10 teams that are potentially looking hard at some of the Colorado Avalanche players.

Now. It’s possible they’re eyeing Pittsburgh Penguins players — especially goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. However, scouts at Avs games have been increasing. Indeed, here’s the listing from a couple of weeks ago when Colorado hosted the Vancouver Canucks:

I see three teams in common at both games:

• Vancouver Canucks
• Arizona Coyotes
• New York Rangers

Now, the Canucks and Coyotes are in similar straits with each other and with the Colorado Avalanche. None are making the playoffs this year, though the Canucks might be trying for a run since they’re seven points out with three games in hand over the Calgary Flames (last wild card spot holders in the west).

Now, the Canucks are in a similar spot to the Avalanche roster-wise, as in they’re not very deep. Or very good outside of a few players. Plus two of those best players are the Sedin twins, and they’re aging. You know they’d be dying to get their hands on Duchene or Landeskog.

Strange fact, former Avs winger, Cody McLeod is in trouble for being himself against the Canucks:

Personally, I’m half nostalgic for old Cody Mac and half glad he’s the Nashville Predators’ problem now.

Anyway, I’m not sure what the Coyotes are looking for. They seem fairly lackadaisical about how they approach team-building. Maybe they just fly over to Colorado because it’s so close.

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That said, maybe they’d be interested in an aging defenseman with too much salary because the Coyotes are always looking to take on some salary to stay away from the floor. (In case you missed that heavy-handed hint, I’m referring to Francois Beauchemin.)

The attendance of the New York Rangers is a little more surprising. They’re in pretty solid possession of the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. In fact, they’re just three points out from being third-seed in the Metropolitan Division.

That said, maybe they’re getting some insider info from defenseman Nick Holden, whom the Rangers acquired for a fourth-round pick over the summer. Maybe they’re looking for a depth defenseman who, in the scheme of things, doesn’t cost too much. Could be Wiercioch again.

I just wouldn’t see the Rangers being major players in a trade that would involve Duchene or Landeskog — they just wouldn’t be able to afford Sakic’s price.

Maybe, just maybe, they’re one of the contending teams that might be willing to take on Jarome Iginla, especially if the Colorado Avalanche retain some salary. Maybe they see the veteran, future Hall of Famer as just the push they need to cut through the tough Eastern Conference to the top.

That said, NHL.com predicts they might target an “experienced defenseman” such as Fedor Tyutin. If that’s the case, I’m going to quote Star Trek Captain Jean-Luc Picard (not to be confused with our Pickard): “Make it so.” Like, literally, a seventh-round draft pick would be enough for my satisfaction. I take that back — a bag of pucks or some slightly used stick tape would be enough for me.

Next: How Avs Defense Looks for Now

In any case, the trade deadline is just under three weeks away. A lot of people think the Colorado Avalanche are going to be big sellers in the next three weeks. I predict the biggest move could take defenseman Tyson Barrie out of Colorado. However, I suspect the Avs will be small fry at deadline and just unload some depth players for draft picks.