The Colorado Avalanche entered the trade deadline as the NHL’s best team but clearly in need of some reinforcements and that was even before the horrifying tale of Gabriel Landeskog’s latest injury.
Management was not content to go with what they had, taking several swings at the trade deadline, including what may have been the most impactful move of all. For those unfamiliar, let’s take a closer look at who and what the Avalanche acquired in their pursuit of a fourth Stanley Cup.
Nazem Kadri, C
Easily the biggest acquisition of the entire trade deadline and he wasted no time paying dividends. Kadri was a difference-maker when the Avalanche won the cup in 2022, parlaying that into a nice little contract from the Calgary Flames.
With the Flames in the cellar and the Avalanche looking to upgrade their 3C spot, the fit only seemed natural. The Avalanche gave up assets that don’t really matter to them at the moment – distant picks and mid-level prospects – while also getting Calgary to retain 20% salary. That’s a win if there ever was one.
What the Avalanche get is someone they’re familiar with, a two-way warrior who thrives when the going gets tough. He can slot in as the 3C, move around in the top six, and generally play wherever he’s asked. Those are the kind of assets that teams crave at the trade deadline.
Nicolas Roy, C
The cost may have been steep in a 2027 top-ten protected first-round pick and a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick but the Avalanche weren’t certain of whether or not they could land the aforementioned Kadri. Their consolation prize, the 6-foot-4 200-pound Roy, a veteran of the Vegas Golden Knights’ cup run.
Related: Grading the Maple Leafs & Avalanche’s Nicolas Roy Trade
The price may have been an overpayment, but the Avalanche are in win-now mode for the next two-three years at the very least. And as teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers have shown, you can parlay those future assets into valuable pieces.
Roy is a prototype 3C who can play anywhere in the bottom six, win faceoffs, play with physicality, and add a defensive presence. He doesn’t move the needle in quite the same way Kadri does, but he is the kind of player that teams look for to bolster the bottom half of their lineup.
Nick Blankenburg, D
A bit lost in the shuffle is the acquisition of defenseman Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators for a throwaway draft pick. The Avalanche have one of the best defensive cores in the league, but depth has been a question mark.
Their top six is set, but an injury could really throw a wrench in things. When the playoffs get rough, the Avalanche will need at least seven defensemen they can trust and Blankenburg can be that seventh guy.
This is one of those underappreciated moves that elite teams make. We may not see much of Blankenburg down the stretch or in the playoffs but having him available is the kind of reassurance that they need.
The Deepest Team in the NHL
It truly is “Stanley Cup or bust” for the Avalanche, but everyone knew that coming into the deadline. They made the kind of moves that champions are made of, making themselves deeper, stronger, tougher, and more well-rounded.
There is still a lot of hockey left to play before the playoffs, but the Avalanche have fortified themselves against what is sure to be a tough Western Conference playoff field. Whether it equates to another parade remains to be seen.
