Colorado Avalanche: Evaluating the Return for Matt Duchene

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LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 27: Former NHL player Joe Sakic is introduced during the NHL 100 presented by GEICO Show as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Weekend at the Microsoft Theater on January 27, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Analysis

The immediate return is Samuel Girard, a younger, greener, smaller Tyson Barrie. A player the Avalanche may have to send back to his major junior team, the Shawinigan Cataractes, if they don’t think the 19-year-old is significantly improving the team. For the Colorado Avalanche’s top-six forward.

In other words, Sakic traded one of Colorado’s best offensive talents for future considerations. We have to hope Samuel Girard and Shane Bowers pan out and that Colorado can get a steal in the 20s of next year’s draft. Because the rest of the package that came back for Duchene was just filler.

Next: Dutchy's Last Goal for the Avs

That’s a huge gamble that Sakic played with the Colorado Avalanche’s future — and their present. Because we’re only 14 games into the season, and Colorado is only one win in front of Nashville. And Nashville just boosted their forward corps with Kyle Turris.

Ah, well, a part of me wanted the Avalanche to win the Rasmus Dahlen Sweepstakes anyway. It looks like Sakic put the team in a good position for that.

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