Well, folks, it’s that time of the year again! Teams and their management groups are working with player reps and other teams to make the final moves ahead of Friday’s 3 p.m. ET NHL trade deadline, and with that in mind, we need to look at things from the Colorado Avalanche perspective and ask the more pressing questions. We sent out a thread on Monday and a few other polls beforehand to get a feel for how fans see things heading in!
Forward Needs
Settle up front or risk regret: The Avalanche’s cap windfall from
the Girard-Kulak deal (~$8-10M space unlocked) has turned dream scenarios into deadline realities, especially for former stars Nazem Kadri and Ryan O’Reilly.
Kadri reunion buzz is real—talks heating up, Avs scouting him in person, and his competitive edge fits perfectly despite the term. O’Reilly offers the smarter cap play: a cheaper, shorter deal with the same two-way excellence and familiarity. Both could slot into the middle six, upgrade faceoffs, secondary scoring, and matchup toughness.
With the window wide open, passing on a big forward splash would sting more than the cost—Kadri or O’Reilly could be the piece that makes Colorado the undeniable Cup favorites.
Defensive Needs
Brett Kulak’s addition brings veteran, playoff-proven stability to the blue line, but the straight swap of rostered defensemen (Girard) means Colorado still has room—and incentive—to add another depth piece for the playoff grind.
Jared Bednar has repeatedly emphasized size and a stay-at-home mentality to complement the group’s puck-moving stars. Mario Ferraro (longtime link, Makar’s college teammate) checks boxes as a reliable LHD, while big-bodied vets like Tyler Myers (recent rumors swirling) and Brenden Dillon offer the grit and shutdown presence Bednar covets. With ~$9M cap space post-trade, is one more defensive reinforcement on the table, or does Kulak sufficiently round out the pairings?
Pass or Fail
If Colorado fails to land a legitimate third-line center—someone who boosts faceoffs, PK reliability, and secondary scoring—should that be viewed as an outright failure? A depth defender would be nice insurance, but is it essential after Kulak’s addition, or just gravy?
Futures
The Avalanche are firmly in win-now mode—another Cup push is the mandate, and that usually means leveraging draft picks and prospects for proven roster talent at the deadline. Recent moves like the Girard-Kulak swap freed cap space for exactly that.
But with their prospect pool already among the league’s thinnest (ranked near the bottom after years of contender trades), should Colorado also look to acquire futures—whether low-cost prospects in multi-asset deals, retained picks, or even salary dumps—to avoid leaving the cupboard completely bare post-Makar extension?
Cale Cuffs
Cale Makar becomes extension-eligible July 1, 2026, setting up what could be a franchise-altering (and cap-crushing) deal. With his next contract shrouded in mystery—and likely to command top-tier money—does this force the Avalanche into a rentals-only approach at the March deadline, avoiding anything with term that could complicate re-signing their superstar blueliner?
Who Sticks?
Gavin Brindley buried the game-winning goal against the Chicago Blackhawks last week—snapping a months-long drought and earning First Star honors. But is this budding “Kid Clutch” raising his trade value at the deadline, or giving the Avalanche even more reason to lock him in as the young part of their core?
