After trading star right winger Mikko Rantanen Friday, the Colorado Avalanche were criticized by some observers for sending the most talented player in the deal more than a month before the trade deadline.
Some of those same observers were critical because the Avs didn’t get a first-round draft pick in the transaction. Instead, they got a second-round pick and a fourth-rounder as part of the package for Rantanen. But you have to remember that Colorado may not be done dealing before the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline.
They may not have thought they could re-sign Rantanen, but the Avalanche are still competing for the Stanley Cup. That means they could look to address their center depth in the weeks to come.
With that in mind, here are three trade targets the Avalanche should pursue.
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Brock Nelson, C, New York Islanders
Nelson, 33, will be a UFA at the end of this season. His $6-million cap hit is above the $3.99 million the team has in space with two players on LTIR, which would require the Islanders to retain salary or Colorado to clear some.
But before the season is through, Nelson could step in for the Avalanche and give them veteran know-how and point-producing capability. The Islanders must build for the future, so they could try to move Nelson to achieve that.
Nelson doesn’t have a Cup win yet, but he has a decent amount of playoff experience, heading to the Conference finals twice. If newly acquired Martin Necas remains on the right wing, and Casey Mittelstadt can’t produce consistently, Nelson can be a stellar second-line center.
There will be competitors for Nelson’s services. The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner reported the Washington Capitals looked into Nelson, for example. So he won’t come cheaply. But playing on an Avalanche team with a much better shot at a playoff appearance than the Islanders could be appealing to Nelson. And if there’s a chance he can be more than a rental for the Avs, that would be all the better.
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Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Trent Frederic, C, Boston Bruins
He’s not as much of a known quantity as Nelson, but Frederic is a tenacious player and a UFA at the end of this season. If Colorado wants to amp up its grit factor, the team could do much worse than acquire the 26-year-old Frederic, who is earning a very affordable $2.3 million this year.
Boston needs to replenish its draft stocks, so the Avalanche could make the Bruins a solid offer for a player they might not have cap space to re-sign.
Frederic has posted only seven goals and 14 points this season, but he had 40 points last year and 31 the campaign before. His offensive production supplements his willingness to play a physically demanding game that frustrates opponents. He ranks second on the Bruins in hits, with 136. Colorado’s most frequent hitter is Parker Kelly, with 98.
The Avs could bring in Frederic and make him a longer-term piece of the puzzle once he proves his worth to the organization for the rest of this season. He could slot in nicely on the third line and boost the team’s depth even more if Valeri Nichushkin returns from injury.
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers
The 28-year-old Bennett was a key cog in Florida’s 2023-24 championship squad, but the salary cap forces even the most successful teams to make hard choices on their veteran players.
The Panthers entered this season knowing it could be difficult to get Bennett’s signature on a contract extension. He’s still slated to be a UFA at the end of this season, and while talks on an extension reportedly started earlier in the season, updates have been scarce. Florida will likely try to hang onto Bennett, but if it’s March and there’s no extension yet, the Avalanche could try to aggressively pursue the forward.
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Bennett is currently earning $4.425 million per season. While he’s on pace for 25 goals this year – slightly less than his career-high 28 goals – Bennett’s Cup-winning pedigree would be a great fit with the Avalanche. He’s also got 103 hits, and that blend of scoring and physicality makes him a player anyone would want on their squad.
Florida can’t keep all their players from its Cup-winning team, so the Avs have the perfect opening to convince them to part with Bennett for the right price as the Panthers try to defend their championship.
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Related: By Getting Rantanen, New Hurricanes Cowboy Eric Tulsky Pulls Off A Big ‘Ole NHL Blockbuster
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