Avalanche Should Be Targeting These 3 Players in Trade

That said, acquiring him is likely to come at a steep cost. The Canucks are reportedly asking for a first-round pick in return but there’s more to it than that. With a cap hit of just $1.5 million, he is extremely affordable even if the Avalanche had no plans to re-sing him long-term.

Sherwood is a hard worker, plays tenaciously on the forecheck, and is a good enough skater that he won’t seem out of place on the run-and-gun Avalanche. He would also give the Avalanche line flexibility, especially given Landeskog’s health and slow start to the season. He might not have the name appeal that Artemi Panarin or Dougie Hamilton do, but he would be a major addition for the Avalanche.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C/W, Carolina Hurricanes

While most fans look to make a massive trade – the last time these two teams made a deal, it brought Martin Necas to Denver – it is often the depth addition that winds up making the biggest impact for a contending team like the Avalanche. In the NHL, you can never have enough depth, especially at center.

For that reason, Kotkaniemi may make a lot of sense for the Avalanche. He’s generally considered to be a solid two-way forward and has shown 35-40-point pop. He’s big at 6-foot-3 and skates well for his size, making him a strong addition to the third line for the Avalanche.

His cap hit – $4.82 million – is navigable but he still has four years left on his deal, which could turn the Avalanche off to him. Given his age (25 years old) and relative upside, it may be worth broaching for Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland.

Bryan Rust, W, Pittsburgh Penguins

While Gavin Brindley, Victor Olofsson, and Ross Colton have performed well relative to their stations, there is only so much you can trust them with. The longer they have to play above their optimal spots in the lineup, the more likely it is that they are unable to produce.

Having a veteran like Rust, who has shown the ability to play with the best players in the world, would be invaluable. Even at 33 years old, he is still producing at a high rate, notching 16 goals and 36 points in 40 games so far this season. Having Rust to play in the middle six would make the Avalanche scary deep and even more dangerous offensively.

The Penguins are reportedly shopping everyone not named Sidney Crosby, so Rust could be had. Whether the Avalanche have the assets – and can find a way to fit in his $5.125 million cap hit over the next two and a half seasons – is another question entirely. That said, Rust would be an excellent addition to an already deep (when healthy) Avalanche lineup.

A Veteran Addition Would Be Welcome

The Avalanche continue to cruise even with injuries to Landeskog, Devon Toews, Joel Kiviranta, and Mackenzie Blackwood. Blackwood is said to be on the cusp of returning and both Toews and Landeskog could be back before the end of the month. That’s not even counting the eventual return of Logan O’Connor.

Adding another piece would most definitely be a luxury for the Avalanche. As it stands, they have the depth, the talent, and the experience to make a run at another Stanley Cup. It would be nice, however, to give the lineup a meaningful boost with one of the aforementioned names.