Well, the pre-draft trade mill continues to turn, as the Colorado Avalanche made their second significant deal in less than 24 hours. This time, they acquired Ross Colton from the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 37th overall pick at the 2023 NHL Draft.
While this trade is far from a blockbuster, it’s not a small move either. After sending Alex Newhook to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, the Avalanche had a hole in their lineup and the necessary assets to acquire a new bottom-six forward that still has top-six upside. For a cap-strapped franchise like the Lightning, it was clear for a while that a trade involving Colton was likely to come, as he was a Restricted Free-Agent that needed a new deal during the 2023 offseason, so they chose to cash out while his value was high.
So, let’s hand out some trade grades!
Avalanche Acquire a Bottom-Six Monster in Colton
After winning the 2022 Stanley Cup, the Avalanche suffered a near-constant string of injuries that kept many of their best players off the ice for most of the 2022-23 season. While every team expects to have their depth tested, these losses piled up through the playoffs and eventually contributed to their first-round exit to the Seattle Kraken.
With all this in mind, Colorado appears to be hell-bent on fixing their depth this offseason. Not only did they add Ryan Johansen at a discount, but they also picked up Colton who is an extremely reliable forward in terms of games played. Over the last two seasons, he started 79 and 81 games, respectively, however, he only took on roughly 12 minutes of ice time each night. This could be due to the depth of the Lightning, or it could be a sign that he has room to grow if he is given a bigger role with a new franchise.
Either way, the Avalanche acquired a real stud of a hockey player. Even if he still just plays a third-line role for the franchise, he should easily chip in 15 to 20 goals along with 40 points, while laying down 150-plus hits. Plus, he’s a proven playoff performer that is only 26 years old, which means he could be signed to a reasonable long-term deal by Colorado to stick around the franchise for years to come.
Overall, he is everything the Avalanche needed to add to their roster this offseason. Considering that they only had to give up a second-round pick that they acquired yesterday, this is an absolute home-run move.
Grade: A
Lightning Make an Unwanted but Necessary Trade
For the Lightning, no one is happy trading Colton. He is a perfect home-grown story for the franchise, as he went from a fourth-round pick back at the 2016 Draft to a Stanley Cup hero after he scored the series-clinching goal in the 2021 Final. While he played less than 200 regular-season games for Tampa Bay, he was impactful every time he took the ice.
Unfortunately, that impact likely meant he had outgrown his place with the Lightning. It was clear that he was ready to take on more ice time each night, and along with that added responsibility sign a contract that paid him accordingly. Even if he only received a minor raise, Tampa Bay simply didn’t have the space to keep him and other players, so they cashed out on him while his value was high.
However, bringing back the 35th overall pick in one of the deepest drafts in recent memory is a solid return. Sure, you would have liked to see them get a little more value, but ultimately at that range of the draft, the Lightning should be able to find a top prospect to add to their barren cupboards.
So, this trade may not have been ideal, but it wasn’t a bust either. Now we will wait to see if they actually use this pick or if they turn around and flip it later this week.
Grade: B-
