The Colorado Avalanche recently made a trade ahead of the deadline, acquiring Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Sam Girard and a second-round pick. The move ensured that Colorado got a bit beefier on the blue line. They also got a bit older, which has both its perks and its flaws.
With that being said, the Avalanche might not be done adding to their depth. We’ve seen players such as Nazem Kadri and Evander Kane be named as possible trade targets by the Avalanche. Let me put another name out there as a possibility.
That would be Eeli Tolvanen of the Seattle Kraken. Tolvanen is just 26 years old and has recorded double-digit goal totals in six of his nine seasons in the NHL. He played in 81 games throughout both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, racking up 39 goals and 76 assists. He has 91 goals and 94 assists in 402 career games.
To me, the most appealing asset that Tolvanen could add to the Avalanche is his power play skills. He has 19 power play goals and 33 power play assists throughout his career, so we know that there is some potential there for the Avalanche to unlock. Five of those power play goals have come this season, which is also good to see because we don’t want it to just be a thing of the past.
Here’s a connection that could end up being a big reason this trade happens: Tolvanen’s former head coach, Dave Hakstol, is the Avalanche’s power play coach. Maybe the two can reunite and have better success together than in the past on special teams.
This trade would be a low-risk, high-potential reward for both teams. Neither player breaks the bank financially, but Tolvanen is on an expiring deal, and making the trade now would give the Avalanche some time to figure out if he is a good long-term player for them.
The Avalanche could give Ross Colton a new start with the Kraken
Unfortunately, Ross Colton’s third season with the Colorado Avalanche isn’t going quite as planned. He had 17 goals in 80 games during his first season with the team, and then 16 goals through 61 games in his second season before playing 54 games so far during the 2025-26 season and recording seven goals and 15 assists.
It’s possible that Colton might not be that guy anymore, so a fresh start is still beneficial for him.
Colton is signed through the 2026-27 season at $4 million AAV.
His tenure with the Avalanche has been a mixed bag. He’s done well at times, but he also has dealt with a broken foot and has missed some time because of that. He has been reliable in terms of games played this season (54-of-57), so that is a positive thing for a trade like this.
Before his foot injury in 2024, however, he was put on the Avalanche’s top line, and did very well.
Now, would the trade be a straight-up player-for-player transaction? No, if the Avalanche could get a mid-round pick added to the deal, that would be even better. I think that both teams would benefit from this trade, and both players would get a fresh start on their new club and in a new division and city.