Winning is a double-edged sword in the NHL. Honestly, when you’re sitting at 33-4-8 like the Colorado Avalanche are right now, you’d think the front office would just sit back and enjoy the ride. Why mess with a wagon? Well, Chris MacFarland doesn’t work that way. He’s basically proven that standing still is just a slow way of falling behind.
The trade rumors Colorado Avalanche fans are hearing right now aren't about desperation. They're about surgical strikes.
Remember the Mikko Rantanen trade last year? People lost their minds. "How do you trade a 50-goal scorer?" was the only thing anyone could talk about for weeks. But look at the roster today. Martin Necas is locked in with an eight-year extension, Jack Drury has stabilized the middle six, and the team is on pace to shatter league records. It was a cold, business-first move that actually worked.
Now, with the March 6 deadline looming and the Olympic freeze fast approaching, the rumor mill is churning again.
The Gap Nobody Wants to Talk About
Everyone looks at the top of the lineup and sees stars. MacKinnon is MacKinnon. Makar is a cheat code. But if you look closer at the bottom six, things are a little... shaky.
The fourth line has been a revolving door of AHL call-ups. We've seen guys like Ivan Ivan and Zakhar Bardakov bouncing back and forth from the Eagles more times than I can count. It works in January. It doesn't always work in May when you're facing a heavy team like Dallas or Vegas.
Depth is the Real Priority
Right now, the buzz is all about a 3C (third-line center).
- Boone Jenner: His name keeps popping up because he’s basically built for the Avalanche system. He’s all heart, wins draws, and plays that heavy game Bednar loves.
- The Kadri Factor: Yeah, the Nazem Kadri reunion rumors are everywhere. It’s the ultimate "what if." He knows the room, he’s won here, and Calgary is clearly looking to move assets. The problem? The cap. It’s always the cap.
Speaking of the cap, the Avs are in a weird spot. They have about $1.2 million to $4.4 million in "deadline space" depending on how they use LTIR. That’s enough for a depth piece, but for a big fish? MacFarland is going to have to get creative. Again.
The Landeskog Variable
Gabriel Landeskog is the biggest question mark in Denver. He finally came back earlier this season after missing three years—three years!—but then he caught an upper-body injury against Florida.
He's out for "some weeks" now.
If he’s back and healthy for the playoffs, he’s the best "deadline acquisition" any team could ask for. If he’s not? That changes the entire math for the trade rumors Colorado Avalanche management has to consider. You can't just hope he's okay; you have to have a Plan B.
Goaltending: A Surprise Luxury?
For the first time in what feels like forever, goaltending isn't the primary fire to put out. Mackenzie Blackwood has been stellar when he's healthy. Scott Wedgewood has been a reliable backup.
The interesting part? Trent Miner.
The kid came up, got a shutout, and looked like he belonged. Now there’s actual talk about using Miner as trade bait. It sounds crazy to trade a young, cheap goalie who’s playing well, but the Avs have Ilya Nabokov waiting in the wings in the KHL. If Miner can help you land a piece like Jenner or even a defenseman like Taylor Raddysh, you have to think about it.
What about the Blue Line?
You can never have enough defensemen. It’s a cliché because it’s true. Behind Makar, Toews, and Manson, there’s some concern about the left side.
Samuel Girard is great for the transition game, but we saw last year that size matters in the playoffs. If the Avs look for a "6th or 7th" defenseman, expect it to be someone with some snarl. They need someone who can clear the crease so Blackwood doesn't have to do it himself.
What Really Matters: The "All-In" Mentality
This team doesn't have a first, second, or third-round pick in the 2026 draft. They’ve already sold the farm.
The prospect pool is ranked near the bottom of the league.
But does anyone in Colorado care? Probably not. When you have MacKinnon in his prime, you don't worry about a 2028 draft pick. You worry about the silver trophy.
The Artemi Panarin rumors are fun to talk about on Reddit, but let’s be real. The Rangers are "retooling," but the price for a guy like Panarin would likely cost the Avs someone like Artturi Lehkonen or Valeri Nichushkin. Juggling the top six that much when you're the best team in the league is a massive risk.
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Actionable Insights for the Trade Deadline
If you're following these rumors, here's what to actually keep an eye on:
- Monitor the Waiver Wire: The Avs love picking up "free" depth. If a veteran center hits waivers in February, expect them to be interested.
- Watch the Olympic Break: The trade freeze (Feb 4-22) means a lot of GMs will try to get their work done early. If a deal doesn't happen by the first week of February, it might wait until the final 48 hours before the deadline.
- The 3C Hunt: Ignore the superstar names. The real move is likely a gritty, veteran center who can kill penalties and win 55% of his faceoffs.
The reality of the trade rumors Colorado Avalanche are facing is that this team is already elite. They aren't looking for a savior; they're looking for the final few pieces of the puzzle to make sure 2022 wasn't a one-off. Keep an eye on those mid-tier names like Boone Jenner or even a return for someone like Ryan O'Reilly. Those are the moves that win Cups.