Avalanche’s New Additions Thriving After NHL Trade Deadline

Nelson has tallied three goals and six points in eight games, ranking fourth among all Avalanche forwards in both categories since the deadline. The 33-year-old has seen his individual shot rate and average ice time (ATOI) in all situations drop since joining the Avalanche, but he has established a nice connection with his new wingers in Necas and Artturi Lehkonen.

Colorado has accounted for 55% of all scoring chances and outscored the opposition by a 7-4 margin at five-on-five with Nelson on the ice, which means that he has helped move play along in the right direction, even if his individual numbers haven’t jumped off the page. The Avalanche should be happy with the early returns from the Nelson deal, and his experience (two appearances in the Eastern Conference Final) and production (50 points in 78 games) in the playoffs should eventually make the trade look even better.

Charlie Coyle, Forward

While head coach Jared Bednar will be thrilled with the addition of Nelson, he may be salivating at the swap that saw Mittelstadt head to Boston for veteran center Charlie Coyle. Not only is the Massachusetts native a big body (6-foot-3 and 215 pounds), but he has a ton of playoff experience (119 career games) and has scored at a 16-goal, 41-point pace for his career. The pivot has regularly been used in a shutdown role and features regularly on the penalty kill. He’s a versatile utility forward who offers a greater diversity of skills than Mittelstadt, and that should serve him well over his Avalanche tenure.

Coyle has only tallied two points in eight games since the deadline and has seen his average ice time drop by over four minutes per game, but he’s been used as a secondary penalty-killer in a third-line role. This may be a better fit for his game than as a top-six center, and the possession numbers back up that argument.

When Coyle has taken the ice at five-on-five, the Avalanche have accounted for 67% of the expected goals share, 58% of scoring chances, 65% of high-danger opportunities, and have outscored the opposition 6-2 in his minutes. The Avalanche hoped that Coyle’s presence would reinforce the team’s depth and relieve the pressure on Nathan MacKinnon and the top-six in general. He’s delivered on that promise, and gives the team a truly formidable triumvirate down the middle heading into the postseason.

Erik Johnson, Defenseman

While 37-year-old defenseman Erik Johnson is well-removed from his physical prime, the veteran rearguard brings with him immeasurable intangibles, and his positive presence could invigorate a team that has struggled with inconsistency and injuries all season long. During his two-year sojourn away from Colorado, Johnson played with both the Buffalo Sabres and the Philadelphia Flyers and earned plaudits for his efforts in guiding young players in rebuilding situations.

Injuries to Samuel Girard and Josh Manson have meant that Johnson has started his second stint with the Avalanche in a bigger role than expected, but he seems rejuvenated by his return. He is averaging over 15 minutes per game in all situations, and steering the Avalanche to a 65% share of shots and 55% of scoring chances in a reduced role.

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Johnson faced questions about his ability and physical capabilities prior to leaving the organization in the 2023 offseason, but he may be pencilling himself into the Game 1 playoff lineup with his simple but effective play since the deadline.

Ryan Lindgren, Defenseman

While the Avalanche’s top three defensemen have been set this season (Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Girard), injuries, inconsistency in play, or both have plagued the team’s depth defenders. The lack of reliability prompted management to trade away Oliver Kylington (Anaheim Ducks) and Calvin de Haan (New York Rangers), the latter of which went to New York for 27-year-old blueliner Ryan Lindgren.

Lindgren had formed one-half of a stellar defensive pair with 2021-22 Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox, but had seen injuries diminish his physicality and he appeared over-matched on a struggling Rangers squad this season. Lindgren has seen a slight dip in ice time since joining the Avalanche, but he looks much more like the defenseman of old rather than the scapegoat he was in New York this season.

Lindgren has helped the Avalanche hold down the fort when Makar and Toews aren’t on the ice at five-on-five (55% of expected goals and 52% of high-danger chances), and he’s teamed up with Sam Malinski in a pairing reminiscent of the past. Lindgren offers physicality and a steady defensive acumen while Malinksi is mostly tasked with transporting the puck up the ice.

It’s no surprise that Lindgren is succeeding in a new environment after a tumultuous end to his tenure with the Rangers, and now gives Bednar more options for when the playoffs roll around.

Jimmy Vesey, Forward

There isn’t much to say about journeyman forward Jimmy Vesey (now on his sixth NHL team) who came over in the deal for Lindgren. The 31-year-old has only appeared in three games since the deadline (no points) while averaging just under 11 minutes per game, making it unlikely that he plays a regular role in the playoffs barring injuries to the team’s forwards.

Vesey can be a serviceable depth piece in a pinch and boasts four seasons of 13 goals or more, but he’s never been counted on to add more to his game by being a regular on special teams. Lindgren was the centerpiece of the trade with the Rangers, but Bednar should still be pleased with a legitimate NHL-caliber forward to add to his stable.

Avalanche Peaking at the Right Time

The Avalanche are 20-10-3 since the start of 2025, and 6-1-1 since the trade deadline. They rank fifth in the league by points percentage (PTS%) over both time frames, and are now only five points back of the Dallas Stars for second in the Central Division. The odds of earning home-ice advantage are not in Colorado’s favor given that the Stars have both a game in hand on the Avalanche and an easier remaining schedule, but the tides are shifting.

The Stars have only won four of their eight games since the deadline and may be without the services of star defenseman Miro Heiskanen during the first round of the playoffs. Dallas still ranks third in the league by PTS% (.671), but if the last few weeks are anything to go by, the Avalanche may be rounding into form at the right time, and that should frighten the rest of the West.

Data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and the NHL.