The Colorado Avalanche are entering the NHL trade deadline as arguably the best team in the NHL this season. They are 41-10-9, garnering 91 points. That is six more than the next closest team in the league (Dallas Stars). It only makes sense that they would look to bolster their roster for the stretch run of the 2025-26 campaign.
On Wednesday, they did just that. The Avalanche completed a trade with the Nashville Predators to acquire defenseman Nick Blankenburg. In return, the Predators landed a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
While most fans' attention will be drawn to the flashy forwards being traded, many times, adding a defenseman is the key to postseason success.
Blankenburg is in his fifth season in the NHL. He spent the first three years of his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets. But during that time, he played in just 55 combined games.
The last season and a half has seen him become a regular with the Predators, though. Ten of his 16 career goals have come during that time, along with 27 assists. He is having the best season of his career this season, with six goals and 15 assists, both career highs. He is in the second year of a two-year, $1.55 million contract signed in Nashville.
Blankenburg will likely see a reduction in the 18 minutes of ice time he's seen this year. But that is simply because of how deep and talented the Avalanche roster is.
Colorado has arguably the world's best two-way defenseman in Cale Makar. But the Avalanche's talent pool goes so much deeper. Despite leading the league in points, don't expect Colorado to rest on its laurels. The NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching and Colorado may be far from done as they look for their second Stanley Cup title in five years.
