A former Colorado Avalanche forward prospect hit the waiver wire on Tuesday. The New York Rangers placed Juuso Parssinen on the wire, following his gradual falling away from the team’s lineup.
As you may remember, Parssinen was part of a seemingly minor trade last season with the Nashville Predators. The Avalanche sent Ondrej Pavel to the Predators for Parssinen.
At the time, the move was primarily a depth trade to bolster the forward group amid massive injuries.
However, things changed at the trade deadline. The Avalanche moved Parssinen to the New York Rangers in the Ryan Lindgren trade. It was a bit sad to see Parssinen go as he was a decent bottom-six player.
Unfortunately for Parssinen, he didn’t quite catch on with the Rangers. He’s played 14 games this season, registering just three points. His ice time has been minuscule, making him expendable in New York.
Parssinen is destined for the AHL. So, the question begs: Why not claim Parssinen on waivers? He could certainly be the sort of low-cost option the Avs need in their bottom six. The fourth-line center spot is hardly etched in stone.
In fact, the Avalanche’s fourth line has been a bit of a patchwork experiment. At the moment, Tristen Nielson, Zakhar Bardakov, and Jason Polin have produced some interesting outings. You would think that once Gavin Brindley and Valeri Nichushkin return, those spots will reduce, eliminating the need for the patchwork fourth line.
But then again, having too much depth is never a bad thing. The Avalanche lose nothing by claiming Parssinen. In the worst of cases, he’ll head down to the Eagles while he gets reacclimated to the Avalanche organization.
In the best of cases, he could jump into a lineup spot in place of someone like Nielsen or Polin. Keep in mind that injuries are always an issue. That’s why having affordable, reliable depth is one of the most prized commodities that contending teams value.