Colorado Avalanche 2025 Trade Deadline Recap

It was clear what general manager Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic had in mind heading to the deadline as to what the team needed and who to acquire. The team has seen a massive change in players since game one of the season, and it has not looked this deep of a lineup since the 2022 postseason. With a fully-loaded roster, it’s up to the players to use their new linemates and try to win it all.

Rejuvenated Second Line With New Center at the Helm

When finishing their game on March 6 against the San Jose Sharks, many thought Cale Makar’s six-point night would be the main topic of discussion, but it wasn’t until near the end of the game when it was announced that they had acquired a notable top player on the market: Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders. It shocked many, with people thinking that Casey Mittelstadt might be a part of the trade package, but he wasn’t left out of the game for “trade-related purposes” until the official trade details were released. With Nelson on the second line and what we have seen against the Maple Leafs, the Avalanche could have a second line as productive as the one with Nazem Kadri on it in the 2021-22 season.

Drouin dedicated much of last season to improving his all-around game. Head coach Jared Bednar often praises him for making significant progress and putting in the effort to become a two-way player who can also score at nearly a point-per-game pace. His main challenge has been staying healthy, but he is in good shape. Valeri Nichushkin faces numerous challenges off the ice, but his on-ice contributions are undeniable. Colorado has a 19-7-0 record with him in the lineup and a 19-17-2 record without him.

Since goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood debuted with the Avalanche, the team has recorded 13 wins and one loss with Nichushkin in the lineup, but only nine wins and nine losses without him.

Nelson, meanwhile, completes a line that can be both offensively explosive and defensively reliable. By acquiring him, Bednar can match his second line against top lines from opposing teams, allowing players like Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, and Nathan MacKinnon to focus on offensive opportunities. If the second line continues to build chemistry and figure out each other’s games while supporting each other’s strengths, this could be the best second line in the NHL, but time will tell.

Third Line Adds Size, Grit, and Fire Power

The first trade the Avalanche did on deadline day was to continue to bolster their depth, adding some serious size by acquiring Charlie Coyle from the Boston Bruins. Coyle, 33, has scored 15 goals and added seven assists in 64 games with the Bruins, who have been struggling this season. In a career year during the 2023-24 season, he tallied 25 goals and 60 points. His addition to the Avalanche enhances their depth in the bottom six, even though he frequently plays in the top six. He’s also been in the playoffs every season of his career and adds more grit and another penalty killer to the lineup.

The key cost of acquiring Coyle was trading Casey Mittelstadt. Once Nelson was acquired, it was only a matter of time until they moved off Mittelstadt for a more defensively-responsible center who plays more physically and is better at faceoffs, and that’s precisely what they did. Mittelstadt had a great start to his Avalanche tenure before his production and game fell off a cliff over the past four months. He had 13 points in the first 10 games of the season but just 21 in his last 52. In comparison, Coyle makes $5.25 million per year through next season; Mittelstadt was locked up for two more years at $5.75 million.

Defense Gets Grittier and Physical

A few days before the deadline, the Avalanche made a deal to acquire Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Lindgren from the New York Rangers. Lindgren averaged around 20 minutes of ice time per game with the Rangers and Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard are the only defensemen on the Avalanche who play that much. He won’t be expected to take on as much responsibility in Colorado.

In New York, Lindgren was often paired with Adam Fox, and his performance metrics looked impressive alongside the 2021 Norris Trophy winner. However, his numbers dropped significantly when he and Fox were not on the ice together. With Lindgren’s addition, the Avalanche finally have stability in their third defensive pair. He will log significant minutes on the penalty kill and provide consistent play with a physical edge—qualities that veteran defenseman Calvin de Haan lacked this season, who went as part of the package in return.

Vesey will be a valuable addition to the bottom six. He is a depth forward who has faced challenges offensively this season, with just four goals and two assists in 33 games. However, he provides the Avalanche with a more substantial option in the bottom six and is also an effective penalty killer.

The “Condor” Has Returned

At 3 p.m. EST, the Avalanche made a final move to bring Erik Johnson back from the Philadelphia Flyers. Johnson was a key player on the Avalanche defense for 13 seasons, from 2011 to 2023, and was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup championship in 2022. He spent the latter part of last season and the current season with Philadelphia before this trade. Now 37, Johnson has a cap hit of $1 million and has played only 22 games for the Flyers this season.

It’s no secret that he isn’t as effective as three seasons ago. Johnson’s ice time has decreased from more than 17 minutes per game when he was a regular on the Stanley Cup-winning team to just over 13 minutes per game. He has also been a frequent healthy scratch for the non-playoff Flyers. The Avalanche need assistance on the right side, and Johnson can provide that . However, more importantly, with all the recent turnover the team has seen, having Johnson back will help unify the group. His leadership presence in the locker room has always been one of his greatest strengths.

The trade deadline tested which teams could strengthen their rosters the best. The Dallas Stars acquired Mikko Rantanen, while the Winnipeg Jets became more physical by adding Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn. The Florida Panthers bolstered their lineup with Seth Jones and Brad Marchand. The Avalanche have invested significantly this season and hope to continue this momentum, especially if they can re-sign Nelson. With MacKinnon and Makar performing at such a high level, it’s crucial to treat every season as a chance to win it all.