Colorado Avalanche: Blueprint for the Rebuild

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Nov 23, 2015; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) celebrates his goal during the third period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Colorado wins 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports /

Potential Trade

It sounds very likely the Colorado Avalanche are going to pull off a big trade somewhere around the draft. Matt Duchene is the name most often bandied about, though Tyson Barrie’s name keeps coming up. Now that the Avs are playing a couple games in Sweden, you don’t hear Gabriel Landeskog trade rumors anymore. (It would be awkward to no longer have your Swedish captain for those Swedish games.)

I’ve gone over a few times what a Tyson Barrie trade could look like.

The return for the offensive defenseman has to either be high draft picks and a prospect or an NHL-ready forward and a lower pick.

I haven’t spent much time going over a Matt Duchene trade, though I wrote one a while back:

However, it could truly benefit the team if Sakic pulls it off right. His ask has been a pick, a prospect and an NHL-ready defenseman. I’d be willing to give up the pick or the prospect if you substitute “stud” for “NHL-ready.”

Anything less than that return, and the Colorado Avalanche get fleeced in the trade. Duchene has been the best player on some very bad Avs teams and even on some good Avs teams. He could be a star player with his fresh-start team.

Duchene for Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) or Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning). Yes, I want the moon — or a shining star at least.

And why not? Duchene is at least as good a player as Ryan O’Reilly. Colorado got two NHL-ready players (Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko), a prospect (JT Compher) and a draft pick (#31) for him. The return should be just as rich for Duchene.

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