Trade Rumors: Kessel, Hertl, Girard
After months and months of speculation, the constant trade talk surrounding Jack Eichel is finally over after the star Buffalo Sabres center was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this month. So where does the trade market go from here? Though still early in the season, there is thought to be some trade chatter ongoing between teams who expected different results early on this year, whether that is a surprise contender looking to load up, a struggling preseason favorite in need of a shake-up, or a bottom-dweller looking to move talent as soon as possible to maximize the return. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy and Matt Larkin recently broke down the trade market and believe the top available name could be the product of that latter scenario. The pair feel that Phil Kessel is set to step into Eichel’s shoes, not only as a major name on the block but also as a player that is guaranteed to be traded. The 1-13-1 Arizona Coyotes have all the makings of a last-place team and Kessel is an aging veteran and respected champion on an expiring deal; the fit is poor and should be resolved soon rather than waiting until the deadline whilst Kessel plays meaningless games and risks injury for the ‘Yotes. The scoring winger should be attractive to any number of teams and Arizona could take the first impressive futures package offered to them to further their rebuild.
- Though mentioned by Kennedy and Larkin as a top trade chip, piling on top of plenty of recent speculation, Tomas Hertl may not be as guaranteed to move as people have been led to believe. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz writes in a recent mailbag that Hertl seems be enjoying this season more than last. A winning record so far certainly helps, but Hertl is also appreciative of his growing role as a team leader amidst a culture turnaround in San Jose. Kurz believes that Hertl has a 50/50 chance of signing an extension with the Sharks, which doesn’t even speak to his likelihood of being traded. If the team continues to win and stays in the playoff picture all season and the possibility of a renewed deal between the two sides remains, Hertl may not move after all. There are some cap management factors working against a deal for both team and player, with the Sharks’ restrictions limiting Hertl’s contract potential and making such a move more risky for San Jose, but if the team is playing well and Hertl is happy, producing, and leading the young locker room, it will be difficult for the Sharks to opt for a trade instead of working toward an extension.
- Meanwhile, Kennedy and Larkin do not mention Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard as top trade bait, but his name has been a fixture on the rumor mill in recent days. According to Mike Chambers of The Denver Post, the Avs made a late run at Eichel and floated Girard as the centerpiece of the deal. Now, even with Eichel off the market, Chambers believes that GM Joe Sakic is still willing to part ways with Girard. Though young and offensively gifted, Girard has some glaring defensive weaknesses that Colorado would rather not deal with given his $5MM cap hit. Girard is still an elite defenseman, but the well-balanced Avs are looking to use that cap space in a different way, if at all possible, by landing another elite forward. With phenom Cale Makar locked up long-term, a number of reliable veterans in support, and other promising young defenders like Bowen Byram and Justin Barron, the team could survive the loss of Girard if it means adding another difference-maker to their top-heavy forward corps. If the Avalanche continue to fall short of expectations this season, it will only serve to fuel a potential shake-up with Girard as the most likely trade victim.
J.T. Compher Out A Month With Upper-Body Injury
One of the early success stories from this season is J.T. Compher, who has gone from depth center to first-line forward for the Colorado Avalanche thanks to injuries and illnesses. The 26-year-old was averaging nearly 20 minutes a night through his first 11 games, with five goals and nine points in that span.
Unfortunately, in that 12th game, Compher suffered an upper-body injury and left early, playing fewer than six minutes before exiting. Now, head coach Jared Bednar told reporters today that Compher will miss approximately a month with the injury.
In his place on the top line, Mikko Rantanen is going to move to the middle of the ice and play between captain Gabriel Landeskog and Logan O’Connor. That’s certainly not the group the Avalanche expected before the season began, but with Nathan MacKinnon on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, the team will have to deal with what they have.
A second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2013, Compher has been a regular for the Avalanche but never a star to this point. His career-highs of 15 goals and 32 points came in 2018-19, numbers he was easily on track to shatter with his strong early performance. He’ll now have to work his way back from injury and when he comes back, there likely won’t be room on that top unit for him any longer.
It’s a disappointing loss for the team, but also a missed opportunity for Compher, who is on track for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2023. He’ll be only 28 when he is scheduled to hit the open market and could have potentially parlayed a big offensive year into a few more dollars down the road.
Bowen Byram Placed On IR
- Avalanche defenseman Bowen Byram is out for tonight’s game versus San Jose, relays Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now. He took an elbow to the head from Vancouver’s Bo Horvat early in Thursday’s game and did not return. While Byram cleared concussion protocol at the time, this development will force them to reassess his situation and he has been placed on injured reserve. Ryan Murray will play in place of the youngster.
Colorado Claims Nicolas Aube-Kubel Off Waivers
The Avalanche have added some forward depth up front as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that they’ve claimed winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel off waivers from Philadelphia.
The 25-year-old has had a limited role for the Flyers this season, suiting in seven games, logging just under 10 minutes per contest. He has just a single assist to show for it although he has chipped in with his usual physicality, recording 17 hits. Aube-Kubel has shown some upside in the past, recording 15 points in 36 games during the 2019-20 season and Colorado is clearly hoping that they can help him rediscover that offensive touch.
Interestingly enough, Aube-Kubel was on Philadelphia’s protected list for Seattle’s expansion draft so his stock inside the organization has certainly dipped in recent months. He’s in the second and final season of a contract that carries a $1.075MM AAV and Colorado can retain him as a restricted free agent this summer if they tender him a $1.225MM qualifying offer.
Seravalli adds that a handful of teams were poking around on Aube-Kubel since he was put on waivers so it’s quite possible that the Avs weren’t the only team to place a claim on him. In that sense, it’s a bit surprising that Philadelphia wasn’t able to find a taker in a trade although the cap space freed up by the move may have been preferable to whatever marginal return such a move might have yielded especially with Kevin Hayes getting closer to returning.
Nathan MacKinnon Out Three Weeks With Lower-Body Injury
The Colorado Avalanche will be without their most explosive offensive weapon for the next little while, as head coach Jared Bednar told reporters today that Nathan MacKinnon will be out “give or take three weeks” with a lower-body injury.
MacKinnon suffered the injury against the Columbus Blue Jackets a few days ago but is set to miss around eight games depending on when he’s able to return. That’s another big chunk of what has been a tough season so far for the Hart Trophy finalist, who already sat out two games while in the COVID protocol. When he’s on the ice he’s been as explosive as ever, with ten points in eight games (though only one of those was a goal), but he’ll now face an extended layoff.
This is a brutal blow for the Avalanche, who are already floundering in the early part of the season. At 4-5-1 the team is eight points behind the Central Division-leading St. Louis Blues and six points back of the third-place Winnipeg Jets for a divisional playoff spot. While they have played the fewest games in the division, they’ve also allowed as many goals or more than every team ahead of them in the Central standings.
That’s not to say Colorado can’t compete without MacKinnon, but as arguably the most valuable contract in the entire league, he gives them a huge advantage every night. The 26-year-old is still carrying a cap hit of just $6.3MM, meaning their funds could be allocated to other places like retaining captain Gabriel Landeskog in the offseason. Landeskog is where a lot of the offensive burden will land in MacKinnon’s absence, as he’ll be asked to do even more to keep the Avalanche scoring.
It’s been a heck of a start for the Avalanche, who have had injuries or illnesses affect nearly every one of their key players. With MacKinnon now out for three weeks, their resolve will certainly be tested even further.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Could Byram's Emergence Make Girard Available?
Colorado has assembled an impressive back end, a group that has been bolstered by the return of Erik Johnson and the emergence of sophomore Bowen Byram. The 20-year-old has been strong enough this season that Mike Chambers of the Denver Post suggests that blueliner Samuel Girard could plausibly be made available if the Avalanche decide to try to add to their forward group between now and the trade deadline. Girard is signed through 2026-27 with a $5MM AAV, a reasonable price for someone that consistently logs over 20 minutes per game while chipping in a little offensively as well. If the Avs were to make the 23-year-old available, he’d garner plenty of interest around the league.
Pavel Francouz Nearing A Return, Martin Kaut Listed As Week-To-Week
Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz is about a week away from returning from his lower-body injury, notes Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. The 31-year-old hasn’t played since the 2019-20 campaign and with Darcy Kuemper not getting off to a particularly strong start this season with a .904 SV% in his first seven starts, Francouz’s return would be a welcome addition if he can find the form he had before his injuries. Meanwhile, Chambers adds in a separate column that winger Martin Kaut is listed as week-to-week after suffering a shoulder injury on Wednesday versus Columbus. The rookie is averaging just under nine minutes a game through six appearances so far this season.
Devon Toews Expected To Return Saturday
- Devon Toews could be making his return to Colorado’s lineup soon as Niki Ardebili of the Avalanche’s team site notes that the hope is that the blueliner will be activated and make his season debut on Saturday against Columbus. Toews averaged just shy of 25 minutes a game last season for the Avs and would be a timely addition to their back end with Cale Makar now on IR.
Avalanche Place Cale Makar On Injured Reserve
The Colorado Avalanche have placed defenseman Cale Makar on injured reserve retroactive to Saturday, October 30, per Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater.
It’s unclear as to when the injury to Makar occurred. He played almost 25 minutes in Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Wild. It’s par for the course for Makar, who’s now averaged exactly 25 minutes per game this season as the Avs’ blueline has dealt with injury issues all season.
While his six points in eight games is a slow start to the season by Makar’s standards, he’s still tied for fourth on the team in points.
Kurtis MacDermid will likely draw into the lineup in his place, and Bowen Byram and Samuel Girard should both see elevated minutes and responsibilities. Devon Toews has still yet to play this season, but is approaching a return and could be a huge boost to a blueline that’s been shorthanded.
They’ve gotten good production from the rookie Byram, who potted his first NHL goal this season to go along with four assists.
Rantanen, Makar Out For Wednesday's Game
The Colorado Avalanche will be playing shorthanded tomorrow night, as Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar have both been ruled out. Makar is listed as day-to-day according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic while he deals with an upper-body injury. Andre Burakovsky meanwhile is also doubtful for the game, and Jonas Johansson will start in net.
Perhaps luckily, the Avalanche have a relatively light schedule over the next little while. After tomorrow’s game they will not play again until Saturday, then they have another four days off before next Thursday’s match against the Vancouver Canucks. Some of these minor issues will hopefully get time to heal as they try to get back on the path of a real contender, not struggling in the middle of the Central Division table.