The Avalanche have acquired forward Yakov Trenin and the signing rights to defense prospect Graham Sward from the Predators, per a team release. The Predators received defenseman Jeremy Hanzel, who signed his entry-level deal with the Avs earlier Thursday, and a 2025 third-round pick in return.
Trenin was one of a few depth forwards the Preds have been shopping, but he’s the only one they’ve sold so far. Another, Thomas Novak, inked a three-year extension earlier this week and will remain in Nashville past the deadline.
The 27-year-old Trenin has broken out as one of the more fearsome checkers in the league since breaking into the majors full-time in 2021. A second-round pick of Nashville in 2015, Trenin has scored 46 goals and 79 points in 283 games in parts of five seasons with the Preds, averaging solid top-nine minutes (14:01 per game) during his time there. He’s posted middling possession numbers with a 48.8 CF% at even strength and a career 47.5 xGF%, although those numbers aren’t bad considering he’s started 66.4% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 201 lbs, Trenin hits – a lot. He’s averaged 2.36 per game throughout his career and has generally had more takeaways than giveaways, so his shot suppression and possession quality share numbers being below average are likely a result of his extreme D-zone usage.
Theoretically, Trenin can play both center and wing, although he’s barely suited up at center during his time in Nashville. He’s won 55 of his 137 career faceoff attempts (40.1%), so if the Avs decide to shift him behind Nathan MacKinnon, Casey Mittelstadt and Ross Colton as their fourth-line center on a bang-and-crash line with another trade pickup, Brandon Duhaime, he likely won’t be relied upon for many draws and will be paired with a winger who has more success in the faceoff dot.
Colorado GM Chris MacFarland’s directive has been clear – fill out their depth with more defensive responsibility and physicality, adding a similar element to what Nicolas Aubé-Kubel brought to the squad that won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Along with defense pickup Sean Walker, Trenin is likely to factor in on the Avs’ penalty kill and take the onus off of effective two-way players like Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin, who can now be used a bit more at even strength.
Trenin will be a UFA this summer upon completion of the two-year, $3.4MM deal he signed with Nashville in 2022. After today’s moves, Colorado has $2.13MM in cap space with a full 23-man roster.
In Sward, the Avs also get an intriguing left-shot defense prospect in the same age range as Hanzel. The 20-year-old Langley, British Columbia native is in his fifth WHL season and is an alternate captain with the Wenatchee Wild, where he leads their blue line with 15 goals, 73 points and a +40 rating in 58 games. Nashville selected Sward in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, and the Avs must sign him to an entry-level deal by June 1 to retain his NHL rights.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Well, that explains the previous Preds moves today. Avs get a bruising forward.
Seems like the eastern conference has forgotten the deadline is tomorrow.
Western teams loading up
Just thinking that it was unimaginable 2 years ago that the Preds would’ve broken up and traded away 2/3 of the herd line, but here we are. One of the toughest 3rd/4th lines to play against in recent memory.
Avs are getting bigger banger for long playoff run
Hanzel was a +70 last year for Seattle in the WHL. Pretty rare to see a +/- that high for just one season. Means nothing regarding his future with the Preds.
That Thunderbirds team was crazy good. Along with Hanzel being a plus 70, two guys were plus 50, one plus 48 and one plus 47. But that’s not the craziest part. Only four players were a minus for the season. And those four guys combined were minus 5 (-2, -1, -1, -1). Imagine being a minus 2 and having the worst +/- on the team.
Surprised the Av’s haven’t addressed the backup goaltending yet. I guess there is still time. Is Parise finished? It looks like he wrecked his knee last night.
You must’ve stopped watching before he returned from the locker room and finished the game no worse for wear.
Gotcha.
What about Yakov Smirnoff? He could come in to lighten the mood, no?
Watching the Avs steamroll Detroit was frightening and now they’re even tougher. The West looks incredibly strong right now.