The Colorado Avalanche may be looking at an impending trade as two of the team’s rumored targets have been healthy scratched on Wednesday night.
We’re talking about two Toronto Maple Leafs players, Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann. Both forward has been a part of Colorado Avalanche rumors, with varying degrees of intensity in trade chatter.
McMann is a winger and earmarked as a middle-six winger. He’s on a cheap, expiring contract and should not be tough for the Avalanche to fit under the cap.
The Leafs were reportedly trying to work out an extension with the 29-year-old. However, if those efforts failed, the Maple Leafs would move him at the NHL trade deadline. McMann has a $1.35 million cap hit, but Toronto could retain for the right price.
The same goes for Scott Laughton. His name picked up in trade chatter after insider Elliotte Friedman dropped his name as a potential Avalanche target. Laughton is a center and could provide some much-needed stability on the fourth line.
He’s also an impending UFA, with no reports of contract extension talks in Toronto. Laughton has a $1.5 million cap hit, but for the right price, as well, the Maple Leafs would be happy to retain.
Avalanche fans should stay tuned because news of the last couple of trades has dropped a bit late in the night. So, it would be surprising to hear news later in the evening.
Avalanche may have to pony up to get either Laughton or McMann
The most recent round of NHL trades has seen some exorbitant prices. For instance, the Minnesota Wild paid a second-round pick for Michael McCarron. The Vegas Golden Knights paid up a third-round pick and a mid-tier prospect for Cole Smith.
Even the Dallas Stars paid a second-rounder and a fourth-round selection for Tyler Myers. That’s quite a bit for a player who would have fetched virtually nothing in other years.
But here we are. Considering that the Wild paid a second-rounder for McCarron, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see the Avalanche cough up a first-rounder for McMann.
It’s not that he’s actually worth that. It’s the market suddenly tilting towards those enormous prices amid a lack of available talent and cheap contracts.
Now, we’re not predicting McMann or Laughton will necessarily land in Colorado. But they have been in NHL rumors for a while now. That’s why Avalanche fans should keep an eye on the news. Anything can happen with less than 48 hours left before Friday’s 3 pm EST deadline.