After trading Charlie Coyle to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Avalanche’s deep center core is now seemingly anything but that.
Colorado has Nathan MacKinnon at the top of the lineup, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. But after that, it gets a little grim. The Coyle trade ultimately removed a lot of the insurance the team had built behind MacKinnon.
Brock Nelson returns as the 2C after signing a three-year, $7.5 million AAV deal. And then there’s Jack Drury — the solid fourth-line center who might be asked to play third-line minutes if nobody else is brought in.
Following the Coyle trade, general manager Chris MacFarland said he prefers Drury as 4C, but wouldn’t mind giving him a look on the third line. Ultimately, the upcoming season is going to help determine where Drury’s future with the club will land. Is he primed to be the 3C the team hoped they were acquiring, or will he always be fighting above his weight class in that position? We shall find out.
But without Coyle, the Avs are missing that added depth that could step in if Nelson struggles. Without Coyle, you’re asking Drury to play a line higher than he should, without really having anyone breathing down Nelson’s neck.
Given how the center market shook out, I’m glad the Avs were able to bring back Nelson. And I do think he’s going to settle in nicely. But what if he doesn’t? Coyle was a great piece to have as added depth, even if I agree with why they traded him.
Anyway, back to that 3C hole. How are the Avalanche going to solve it? And more importantly, when? I’m not sure if many teams are willing to part with a solid third-line center at this point. Not until they begin the season and determine if they’re ready to compete for a playoff spot.
So does that make this a mid-season move? Maybe. But even if so, I will say, it’s easier to acquire a 3C than a 2C in the middle of the year. Especially if you’re targeting teams looking to restock with future assets. So this would at least be a simpler task than what the front office has had to deal with in each of the last two years.
With that being said, here are seven trade targets the team could look at to help complete their center depth.
Just keep in mind, these aren’t all necessarily pieces that are available now, nor am I implying that they ever will be. I’m playing the long game with this one and trying to identify guys who might be available now, or during the year if their team flops to start the season.
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