The juggernaut that is the Colorado Avalanche might be the best team in the league. However, they are not above the trade deadline. As they stand 37-10-4, Colorado looks primed to make it to the Conference Finals and beyond for the first time in the Nathan MacKinnon era. This team seems close to perfect, but that is not perfect. For general manager Joe Sakic, this deadline season will be a key one for the immediate future of the Avalanche. It should be noted that Sakic is without a first-round pick this season after trading it to the Arizona Coyotes for goalie Darcy Kuemper. So, his 2023 pick will be on the block, with a prospect like Alex Newhook potentially being used as a substitute.
Make sure to check out all of our other NHL Trade Deadline Previews.
Current Status
Current Record: 37-10-4
Division Standings: First in the Central
Buyers or Sellers: Buyers
Claude Giroux
The longtime captain of the Philadelphia Flyers is a big candidate to be on the move soon, with the Avalanche rumored to be a top suitor. The all-star game MVP this season, Giroux has scored 16 goals with 22 assists in 48 games this year and is on an expiring contract. With nearly 900 points in 991 career games played, Giroux would be a huge get for any team.
As the Avalanche could use scoring depth, this would be a pick-up that makes sense. The tragic detail is that the Flyers have eight games left until the deadline, meaning that Giroux would narrowly miss his 1,000th game in a Philadelphia uniform. A first-round pick plus a good prospect is expected to be the price tag, even for a 34-year-old without term on his contract. Some salary cap work would have to be done, but Giroux could fit.
J.T. Miller
If truly available, Miller is the top forward on the market, which immediately links Colorado to him. Unfortunately, Miller has a $5.25 million cap hit and is under contract through next season, making it hard to keep a pending free agent like Andre Burakovsky in the offseason. However, Miller would still be a considerable upgrade. He has scored 20 goals with 57 total points in 51 games. Since joining the Vancouver Canucks before 2019-20, he has 175 points in 173 games.
Miller is a lot younger than Giroux and has a term left on his contract. So, whatever it takes to get Giroux would be the bare minimum in a Miller deal. A first-round pick, top prospect, and maybe even a roster player like another J.T., J.T. Compher, is a solid outline for a trade. The 28-year-old would be a very ambitious acquisition for Sakic but would elevate the team even higher than they currently are.
Mark Giordano
The former captain of the Calgary Flames and active captain of the Seattle Kraken could very well be on the move again as he is a pending free agent on an awful Seattle team. Despite his age, the 38-year-old has 23 points in 48 games this season and is still a steady defender. With Bowen Byram stepping away from the game due to head injuries, the Avalanche have often played Kurtis MacDermid and Jack Johnson, which cannot happen for a team this good. Help on the blueline should be a necessity this offseason.
The lowly Kraken will ask for a first-round pick for their captain, but the Avalanche likely will use that on a forward. An offer including a second-rounder and a mid-level prospect seems more realistic. For years, Giordano has been a top-pairing defender or at least a second-pairing player. With Devon Toews and Samuel Girard ahead of him in Colorado, Giordano could take on a minor role for the Avalanche or bump down Girard after the latter struggled in last year’s playoffs.
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