The Colorado Avalanche are sitting at a staggering 33-5-8, pacing the league and looking, for all intents and purposes, like a juggernaut. But if you’ve been watching the games—and I mean really watching, not just checking the box scores—you know the truth: this roster is currently held together by elite top-end talent and a lot of duct tape.
Injuries to Devon Toews, Gabriel Landeskog (again), Logan O’Connor, and Ross Colton and Mackenzie Blackwood (who both came back last night) have exposed a lack of depth that 33 wins can’t hide. General Manager Chris MacFarland knows that regular-season dominance doesn’t always translate to playoff resilience. He isn’t looking to “tinker.” He’s looking for reinforcements.
Here is a look at the specific targets on the board and the reality of what it will cost to land them.
The Center Ice Dilemma
The most glaring hole is at third-line center. Jack Drury has been an admirable soldier, but for a deep run, the Avs need more stability. Ross Colton’s production has noticeably dipped when he’s forced into the middle, leaving the team desperate for a natural pivot who can drive play.
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Ryan O’Reilly (Nashville Predators)
Let’s address the elephant in the room first. A reunion with “The Factor” is the dream scenario. Ryan O’Reilly brings everything this team currently lacks in its bottom six: elite faceoff work, defensive responsibility, and a proven playoff pedigree. He fits the system like a glove.
- The Reality: He’s under contract through 2027 at a $4.5 million cap hit. The Nashville Predators know what they have, and they aren’t just going to give him away. It would take a massive return of assets to pry him loose, and that’s assuming O’Reilly even wants to move. This is a “swing for the fences” play, not a safe bet.
Boone Jenner (Columbus Blue Jackets)
This is the pragmatic move. Boone Jenner is the prototypical deadline rental: a captain, a physical force, and a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) on a struggling team. At $3.75 million, his cap hit is easier to swallow than O’Reilly’s, and he brings a heaviness to the game that translates well to playoff hockey.
- The Reality: The cost here is likely draft capital or prospects, which suits the rebuilding Columbus Blue Jackets. If the O’Reilly dream dies, Jenner is a very strong consolation prize.
Hunting for Wingers: Energy and “The Big Swing”
With O’Connor’s hip issues and Colton’s upper-body injury, the Avs were missing their relentless forecheck. They need more guys who can retrieve pucks and finish checks, should more injuries occur.
Kiefer Sherwood (Vancouver Canucks)
Kiefer Sherwood has reinvented himself with the Vancouver Canucks as a legitimate power forward. He’s physical, he’s fast, and he knows the Avalanche system.
- The Reality: The price is reportedly “astronomical.” It makes zero sense for MacFarland to trade a first-round pick or a high-end prospect for a bottom-six rental, even one as effective as Sherwood. This feels like a non-starter unless the price drops significantly.
Blake Coleman (Calgary Flames)
A two-time Cup champ who can play center or wing? On paper, yes.
- The Reality: Blake Coleman carries a $4.9 million ticket through 2027. With half the league calling the Calgary Flames, the acquisition cost will be exorbitant. To make the money work, Colorado would likely have to ship out a roster player like Colton or pay a massive premium for salary retention. It’s a complicated deal to execute.
Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers)
This is the rumor that won’t die. Yes, insiders are linking the Breadman to Colorado as a pure rental.
- The Reality: Put the phone down. Artemi Panarin has an $11.6 million cap hit. Unless the Rangers eat 50% of that salary and take bad contracts back, the math is nearly impossible. It’s fun to think about Panarin feeding Nathan MacKinnon on the power play, but don’t bet your house on it.
Beefing Up the Blue Line
The Avalanche defensive corps is mobile and skilled, but they can be pushed around. MacFarland is reportedly looking for “big body” defenders to clear the crease.
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Jamie Oleksiak (Seattle Kraken) & Logan Stanley (Winnipeg Jets)
You can’t teach size, and both these guys have it. Jamie Oleksiak (6-foot-7) is the better player, capable of moving the puck and crushing opponents, but his $4.6 million cap hit is hefty for a third-pair upgrade. Logan Stanley ($1.25 million) is the budget option—limited in skill, but massive and cheap.
- The Reality: Stanley is the low-risk move. Oleksiak is the “all-in” move that solidifies the defense but complicates the cap picture.
The Financial Gymnastics
So, how does this get done? MacFarland has been quietly making “paper moves”—shuffling guys like Zakhar Bardakov and Trent Miner to the American Hockey League (AHL) on off-days—to accrue daily cap space. Estimates put the Avs’ deadline space somewhere between $3 million and $9 million, depending on how aggressive they want to be.
The money is manageable. The problem is the assets. The prospect cupboard isn’t exactly overflowing, and the team is already short on draft picks. MacFarland has a history of creativity, but upgrading a 33-win team without mortgaging the entire future will be his toughest test yet.
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