4 Colorado Avalanche Players Who Might be Traded

Duncan Siemens, Defenseman (prospect)

You’ve got to feel bad for defenseman Duncan Siemens. He was the 11th-overall pick for the Colorado Avalanche in 2011 — the same year Colorado picked up current captain Gabriel Landeskog. That means the unfortunate-looking Duncan needs to contend with this as his draft memory:

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An 18-year-old has no business looking so poised — or having such a chiseled jaw — as Landeskog. But then, an 18-year-old probably shouldn’t closely resemble a perv as Siemens does…

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Ok, in all seriousness, Siemen’s least concern is his lack of a jawline. Rather, he needs to worry a lot more about his lack of a chance with the Colorado Avalanche. An 11th-overall pick should have more than a single NHL game under his belt in 4 1/2 seasons — especially since the player who went just nine spots ahead of him has been the captain of the same NHL team for 3 1/2 seasons.

Injuries have been a part of Duncan Siemens problem. Likewise, he’s a defenseman, and D-men notoriously take longer to develop. What’s strange, though, is that Siemens looked better at the 2014 training camp than he did at the 2015 one. I don’t know why he would be regressing since he appears to get a fair amount of AHL playing time.

Probably the biggest “problem” with Duncan Siemens, as far at the Colorado Avalanche are concerned, is the fact that he has little offensive upside. He’s good-sized and nasty in his physicality — which Colorado loves — but the Avalanche prize players with two-way value. Even Matt Duchene has had to learn to play defense.

Duncan Siemens might not garner much on the market because he’s a restricted free agent after this season. However, since the Colorado Avalanche seem unlikely to utilize him, I could see the team trading him for a couple draft picks, especially a first or second rounder.

Next: Joey Hishon