The Colorado Avalanche entered the 2026 NHL trade deadline with a clear objective. The biggest issue plaguing the Avs was depth.
We all know the high-end talent that the Avs possess. But the team was top-heavy, to be honest. The operative word here is “was.” That’s because the Avalanche are no longer a top-heavy team.
The additions of Nic Roy and Nazem Kadri have all of a sudden made the Avalanche one of the deepest teams in the NHL, if not the deepest.
That said, the trade deadline proved to be a grand slam for the Avalanche. They not only addressed the most immediate areas, but they also brought in some much-needed reinforcements on the blue line.
Those reinforcements will be crucial down the stretch. You have to think that the Avalanche will be looking to curb some of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, and Martin Necas’ ice time.
It’s not about replacing them. Instead, the idea is to give the Avalanche’s stars a bit of a break heading down the final 20 games of the season.
That’s a crucial situation considering how the postseason could shape up. If the playoffs started today, the Avalanche would face the Seattle Kraken in the first round. The last time the Avalanche faced the Kraken, Seattle pulled off a major upset.
Assuming the Avalanche steamroll over the Kraken this time around, their next opponent would be one of the Minnesota Wild or Dallas Stars. Let’s assume it’s the Stars. We all know what happened last season against Dallas in the playoffs.
That’s why these moves made sense. They were about giving the Avalanche the depth needed to compete against anyone and everyone. Friday night’s game was a testament to how tough the Stars will be in the postseason.
The game was also a testament to how resilient the Avalanche are.
This trade deadline was a grand slam for the Avalanche. The club gutted its draft capital. But that will matter very little if this season ends up in a Stanley Cup championship.