The Colorado Avalanche are bringing back a familiar face, acquiring Carl Soderberg from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Avalanche will send Josh Dickinson and the draft rights to Ryder Rolston in return.
“Soda” as he’s affectionately known in Colorado, spent four seasons with the Avalanche earlier in his career. That included two great years and two disappointing ones but ended with a career-high 23 goals in 2018-19. The 35-year-old center has just seven goals and 15 points in 34 games with the Blackhawks this season and is on a one-year contract.
That deal carries just a $1MM cap hit, certainly reasonable for a depth forward like Soderberg that can still contribute in a limited role. He’ll get a chance to change his postseason reputation this season; Soderberg has just two goals and 12 points in 41 career playoff matches.
Instead of acquiring draft picks in return, the Blackhawks get a couple of names that are lottery tickets at best. Dickinson went undrafted out of the OJHL and has split time between the AHL and ECHL this season. His entry-level contract expires at the end of this season and he likely won’t receive a qualifying offer.
Rolston though is interesting, if perhaps underwhelming. The 2020 fifth-round pick had six points in 28 games as a freshman for Notre Dame, but does have NHL bloodlines–his dad Brian Rolston played more than 1,200 games in the league–and some upside. Who knows at this point if he ever reaches that level with the Blackhawks, but it was clear that Soderberg’s time in Chicago was coming to an end.
I think this marks the end of the Matt Calvert era in Colorado. He’s under contract beyond 2021, but I say era for two reasons. One, none of the trades Sakic pulled off included his 2021 1st. And two, from what I’ve heard I don’t think EJ is ever cleared to play again. His post concussion issues are quite similar to Lappy’s that ended his career. Allegedly. So hold EJ and kite his 5.5 mil on LTIR and get Francis to accept the 2021 1st, Calvert, and an expendable minor leaguer.