The Colorado Avalanche don’t really strike anyone as a team that needs to make upgrades this season. Still, they will be active at the trade deadline if the right pieces come along. That’s a major if, considering the players potentially available and the asking prices for said players.
For instance, the asking price for Artemi Panarin is astronomical. Robert Thomas would be galactical.
Then, there are middle-of-the-pack players such as winger Bobby McMcMann. I suggested McMann could be an alternative for the Avalanche at a moderate price, if he became available.
That said, Jesse Granger of The Athletic believes that the Colorado Avalanche could use an upgrade at one crucial position: Third-line center. In a January 31 piece, Granger argues that, while Jack Drury has done a good job holding down the 3C spot, the team could use a little more scoring in that position.
It’s hard not to agree with him there. If you value offense, particularly pivotal depth scoring, then there is a case to be made for an upgrade at the 3C. Where things get a bit dicey is Granger’s suggestion of Ryan O’Reilly to fill that void.
“I’ve mentioned Ryan O’Reilly before and still think he’s a perfect fit, assuming Nashville will trade him now that it’s climbed to within striking range of a wild-card spot.”
So, if O’Reilly hit the market, could the Avalanche make a serious play? Again, it’s hard to argue against him. If there was any player the Avs could target for such a role, O’Reilly would be the best choice.
There would still be considerations about the acquisition cost and potential cap hit. But if the numbers could work out, O’Reilly would be a solid fit.
Avalanche don’t have much to choose from
The center market is woefully devoid of options down the middle. The high-end options include Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn in St. Louis. O’Reilly could be a possibility. Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers and Shane Wright of the Seattle Kraken may also be solid top-six options.
But those players would certainly be expensive and may exceed the Avalanche’s scope at the moment. Then, there is a familiar face on the block this season: Charlie Coyle. The Columbus Blue Jackets could be looking to move Coyle, given his impending UFA status. It’s unclear what the asking price for Coyle could be. The Blue Jackets may want to recoup some assets. So, it might be fair to assume that Columbus might be asking for a couple of mid-round picks.
There’s also Jesperi Kotkaniemi in Carolina. He was once a highly touted prospect who warranted a massive extension. Unfortunately, Kotkaniemi never lived up to that extension. The Canes don’t want to sell him off for cheap. But he might be a decent option if Carolina was willing to play ball at a manageable price.
Lastly, there’s David Kampf in Vancouver. The Canucks signed Kampf after his contract was terminated in Toronto. The 31-year-old is a fantastic defensive center, but doesn’t score. He’s got two goals and six points in 32 games. He could be acquired cheaply and would take on some solid defensive ice time. But the entire purpose of this exercise is to think about offensive upgrades.
The Colorado Avalanche, at the end of the day, don’t really have many options. It’s likely they’ll go for someone like O’Reilly or even Nazem Kadri, or perhaps just sit on their hands.
It’ll be interesting to see what rumors pop up during the Olympic break. The Avalanche could be a sneaky, under-the-radar team looking to make something happen at the deadline.