What the Avalanche Can Expect From New Additions

Perhaps the most impactful trade (at least for this article) was the move to send Jack Drury to the Predators. Moved along with Chase Bradley and a 2029 third-round pick, the Avalanche acquired a pair of depth pieces we will touch on below.

What Can The New Additions Bring to the Team?

These moves by the Avalanche freed up some space to maneuver through salary cap complications. The team simply could not afford to extend Drury; Colton and Nichushkin had salaries that the team was not happy with commiserate to their performances. Here is what they got back or used that space to sign in the offseason.

Vinnie Hinostroza

Sometimes, you just need veteran depth you can turn to when someone is underperforming or injured. That’s precisely who Hinostroza is. The 32-year-old forward has been around and largely been a bottom-six presence. He will be the same when needed for the Avalanche.

If he finds a groove, Hinostroza can be a double-digit goal scorer. Worst case, he is a guy who can fill in for a few games, play 10 minutes a night, and chip in a bit of offense. Not bed to have as a rotational depth piece.

Zachary L’Heureux

The most significant piece of the Drury trade is L’Heureux. With all due respect to Nazem Kadri, he isn’t the habitual line-stepper that he once was. L’Heureux is the kind of forward who will muck it up and battle like few others on the ice.

Finding a balance is key, however. There are times he can put himself in the box unnecessarily, but he will give the bottom-six for the Avalanche a little feistiness. He’s not much offensively, but his tenacity and physicality should earn him a role.

Fedor Svechkov

Svechkov is the other asset that came back in the Drury trade. He has decent size (6-foot, 190 pounds) and brings a defense-first aspect to the fourth line. He is also a strong skater, something that fits the profile of the Avalanche.

He’s a solid passer and has a strong hockey IQ, but likely isn’t going to be much offensively. If he can provide a solid 10 minutes of defensively responsible hockey per game, that’s a win for the Avalanche – especially considering his extremely manageable $1.25 million cap hit that runs through the next two seasons.

Jaden Schwartz

With Nichushkin’s offense out the door, Schwartz comes in to pick up some of the slack. It seems like Kadri will move to wing, likely playing on the second line. That leaves Schwartz for the third line, providing offense while Nicolas Roy and Logan O’Connor handle defensive responsibilities.

Schwartz is coming off one of his worst seasons but has showed 20-25-goal potential in the past. He likely won’t come close to the 16:08 he averaged with the Seattle Kraken, leaving him to play into better matchups in what is a far superior lineup. Don’t be surprised if he bounces back to the 20-goal plateau once again.

Depth is Crucial

The Avalanche made several moves to build depth a season ago, but things just didn’t work out. Moving on from Nichushkin will hurt in several ways, but it may have been a necessary move to prepare for the Makar extension.

The Avalanche may lose a bit offensively with what went out the door, but may be a stronger, more physical, and better defensive team. Flash is nice but these feel like the kinds of players that can get in the muck when they need to and that is what playoff hockey is all about.