The Colorado Avalanche have just $8.7 million in cap space for the 2025-26 season, as it stands right now. With several spots scheduled to be open once free agency begins, trade rumblings have begun.
It isn’t often that big-name players get traded. It especially isn’t common for them to be traded in the same division they currently play in. That has a chance of changing this offseason, particularly with my idea.
The Avalanche are looking to upgrade the team under a poor salary cap situation. Instead of trying to sign a top player in free agency, which would likely take up most of the remaining cap room, the Avs could reduce the cap blow by trading a player who has a similar salary to a player who they acquire via a trade.
Specifically, I'm thinking Colorado could move a guy such as Ross Colton for Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators. We even saw a trade between these two teams as recently as last season, when the Avs shipped goaltender Justus Annunen there.
The trade would only use up $1.5 million in cap space for the Avalanche, while adding the same amount to the Predators’. The Predators would avoid paying Marchessault’s $5.5 million, while Colorado would take that contract on. It doesn’t sound like a good idea until you think about the fact that the Avs could lose Brock Nelson and/or Jonathan Drouin to free agency.
Colorado would then have one less hole to fill, while using their remaining cap space to fill the remaining holes. Heck, it would not surprise me that much if they re-signed most of their unrestricted free agents, besides the two higher-dollar players (Nelson and Drouin). It’s just one of those times where the Avalanvhe can’t go out and sign anybody they want. Thought has to be put into how to manage this situation.
Though Marchessault had “just” 21 goals this past season with the Predators, his season prior with the Vegas Golden Knights saw him put up 42 goals. I’m not suggesting that he’d have that same impact with the Avalanche, but I think that he could be a solid replacement at the 2C spot. Perhaps if both Nelson and Drouin leave in free agency, head coach Jared Bednar could use him at different spots depending on matchups.
Marchessault is locked in to his contract until the 2029-30 season, in which he would be 39 years old. He would finish his career in burgundy and blue.