Colorado Avalanche Rebuild: Trade for Stud D-Man

Key Pieces of the Colorado Avalanche Defense

I can’t pair the Colorado Avalanche defense the way I did the CBJ blueline because the pairings haven’t been consistent. Part of that is because of Erik Johnson‘s injury, but it’s also because… actually, I don’t know why Jared Bednar mixes them up even in the middle of games.

Anyway, here are the Colorado Avalanche defensemen:

• Erik Johnson (6-foot-4, 230 pounds, 27 years old)
• Tyson Barrie (5-foot-10, 190 pounds, 25 years old)
• Francois Beauchemin (6-foot-1, 208 pounds, 36 years old)
• Fedor Tyutin (6-foot-2, 221 pounds, 33 years old)
• Nikita Zadorov (6-foot-5, 230 pounds, 21 years old)
• Patrick Wiercioch (6-foot-5, 202 pounds, 26 years old)
• Eric Gelinas (6-foot-4, 215 pounds, 25 years old)
• Cody Goloubef (6-foot-1, 200 pounds, 27 years old)

You might notice two things about the Avs defensive corps vs the CBJ one. It’s a lot bigger. And it’s a lot older. One of those things is a problem, and it ain’t the size. (You might also want to cry when you compare the two defenses.)

Luckily, one of those over-30 defensemen, Tyutin, is a UFA this summer, so we don’t have to have him back. Ditto AHLer Goloubef. Wiercioch, Zadorov and Gelinas are all RFAs this summer.

Erik Johnson is the cornerstone of the Avalanche defense, and Tyson Barrie is considered a core player. Technically, everyone else is expendable in a rebuild, contracts notwithstanding.

That said, Zadorov was included in the Ryan O’Reilly trade at GM Joe Sakic‘s behest. He said at the time that Zado was on a “10-year plan.” I’m guessing as long as Sakic is calling the shots, Nikita is going to keep getting the chance to develop.

So, our foundation for the Colorado Avalanche is built on Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Nikita Zadorov.

Admit it — that’s not half bad. And it could fit into the CBJ mold.