The Colorado Avalanche remain one of the most talented teams in the NHL, and arguably one of the top contenders in the Western Conference this season, but there are some moves the team should consider to solidify its place as one of the most dangerous teams in the conference.
The Avalanche are currently in a three-way tie atop the Central division with the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas starts. All three teams have 26 points, so it is a dead heat in that division right now. In the Pacific division, the Vegas Golden Knights have 30 points, while the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks each have 29.
Two seasons ago, the Avalanche were far and away the best team in the league, and they showed that in the playoffs by winning the Stanley Cup over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Over the last two seasons, the Western Conference has caught up a bit. However, the Avalanche still have a great core, especially on the blue line. The defensive group of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Bowen Byram, Josh Manson, Caleb Jones and Jack Johnson is really strong, arguably one of the best in the NHL. There are some depth concerns in the forward group, and that is where we will be focusing our attention on when it comes to trade targets.
The Avalanche are not far off from being arguably the most dangerous team come playoff time. With that being said, let's look at two early trade targets for the Avalanche in the 2023-24 season.
Elias Lindholm would make the Avalanche one of the deepest teams in the league
Nathan MacKinnon is a top talent in the league at center, but the depth could be better than Ryan Johansen and Ross Colton behind him. That is where Elias Lindholm comes in as a trade candidate.
Johansen has put up seven points in 19 games played so far for the Avalanche as the second line center, according to Hockey Reference. While Johansen is an experienced player and could turn it up at some point, it would be ideal to get more production out of that spot.
Elias Lindholm is on an expiring contract this season, and the Calgary Flames are just on the border of the playoff hunt as things stand. If the Flames continue to fall out of contention, Elias Lindholm would be a perfect player to slot in as the No. 2 center on the Avalanche, and it would immediately make the team one of the deepest down the middle, which is vital for playoff success.
With the Flames this year, Lindholm has put up 15 points in 20 games played, according to Hockey Reference, which would be a big help for Colorado.
Anthony Duclair would give the Avalanche a great chance against the Golden Knights
Anthony Duclair is going to be one of the better names on the trade market this year, as he is on a San Jose Sharks team that has virtually no chance of contending this season.
Colorado brought in Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Drouin in hopes of filling the winger spots on the second line this season. Tatar has seven points in 17 games, while Drouin has five points in the same amount of games, according to Hockey Reference.
Tatar is a proven player who should produce to a decent level as the season goes a long, but Drouin is a former high draft pick who has been solid at times, but not lived up to expectations in his career. Adding Anthony Duclair and potentially sliding Tatar to the third line would be a great move for Colorado.
Colorado needs to improve its depth to have a chance at going deep in the playoffs, and Anthony Duclair would be a great way to bolster the lineup.
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