On Wednesday’s edition of "Daily Faceoff Live," Tyler Yaremchuk and Mike McKenna were joined by The Athletics’ Peter Baugh who covers the Colorado Avalanche. Peter gives some insight on what trade targets the Avs’ and general manager Joe Sakic might have ahead of the trade deadline.
Mike McKenna: Injuries have been a detriment to that Colorado team this year and Landeskog is one of the first you look at right off the bat. To me, it’s really been the depletion of that blueline you look at Josh Manson, Bo Byram and even Cale Makar missing some time. It looks like these players are tracking towards All-Star break returns after they maybe get in the lineup or even before for some. But, if that’s the case, how do you think that might alter what the Avalanche do at the trade deadline in bolstering this club?
Peter Baugh: I think it could have a huge impact. Honestly, when I look at the Avalanche and their trade deadline I ask myself two questions, where are they in the standings and how are they playing? Two, are they going to be fully healthy? Does this team believe that Landeskog is going to be back at some point this season, which right now they do? If the answer is that they are playing well heading into the deadline and that they will have their guys back then I think you could see this team he aggressive despite the fact the farm system is depleted and they don’t have a ton of draft picks. It’s not going to be easy for them to make moves but this is a team that’s in the cup contention window and I’m pretty sure nobody would want to play them at full strength when Landeskog is back and their blueline is fully healthy.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Well let me allow you to throw on your Joe Sakic gm hat here and talk about what they could be looking for at the deadline. There are some big fish out there in Jonathan Toews, Bo Horvat, and Ryan O’Reilly down the middle. Could you see Sakic going after one big name or adding two or three level B-rated pieces?
Peter Baugh: I think it depends on how the market shifts out. We have seen in the past that Sakic isn’t afraid of going after the big names. I think with the Avs’ it’s pretty clear that they were in the Claude Giroux sweepstakes last year but Giroux wanted to go to Florida so it was never in the cards for him to come here. But, if you listen to what Sakic said, I think they were interested and ready to offer a pretty penny for him. So they could go for a big name, in the past, this has not been a team that acts super recklessly with their assets. Sakic hasn’t traded a first-round pick ever except for Darcy Kuemper but they had to as they didn’t have a goalie. So I think you could see them make an aggressive move but if the right move isn’t there then it’s other players. I wonder about a player like Sean Monahan, who probably is going to cost less than a Horvat but can be a solid contributor when healthy and you look at maybe James Van Riemsdyk if you’re content with a line or Valeri Nichushkin, Evan Rodrigues and Landeskog and then you add a Van Riemsdyk to your third line. There are definite possibilities to bolster the depth of this team and I think the big thing is whether or not Landeskog is fully healthy.
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