The Avalanche didn’t lose Jack Drury for nothing, and that matters. Colorado moved him this offseason with a clear idea in mind: get value back now instead of watching him leave in free agency for nothing later. They also knew the endgame was already written, since Drury landed an extension with the Nashville Predators shortly after the deal.
In return, Colorado brought in Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux, and the hope is simple: one of those pieces has to help replace what Drury brought. That’s a tough ask, because Drury was productive in Colorado. He followed a five-goal, four-assist first season with a second year that produced 10 goals and 17 assists, a jump that showed the Avalanche had helped unlock another layer of his game.
That’s exactly why the trade leaves a mark. But it’s also why Svechkov feels like such an intriguing fit.
The 2021 first-round pick arrives with 122 NHL games already on his résumé, so this isn’t a pure development flier. He’s been around the league enough to matter now, and Colorado is betting that the change of scenery can help him turn into a useful third-line option. Even if he doesn’t grab the third-line center job, the fourth-line spot should be there for him.
Nazem Kadri could get a look in that third-line role, though there may still be an actual battle for it. Either way, Svechkov is in position to carve out a real role if he can bring the kind of dependable details teams trust: winning face-offs, killing penalties, and protecting the puck.
If that happens, the Avalanche can start feeling better about the Drury move. And if Svechkov grows into the kind of steady, productive depth forward Colorado is hoping for, a 35-45 point season would go a long way toward easing the sting.
In Other News...
Avalanche Day One Move Looks Like A Direct Answer Up Front
The first day of free agency brought the Avalanche a clear signal about where they wanted help, with the club making a move aimed at adding scoring depth after a stretch of roster turnover up front. Colorado has been trying to reshape its forward group, and the urgency around finding more reliable offense has only grown after several departures changed the look of the lineup.
Jaden Schwartz fit that need on day one, giving the Avalanche another experienced option in a spot where the team has been looking for answers. Around the league, other clubs were also busy trying to solve their own problems, from the Rangers retooling on defense to Edmonton making cap-related changes, but Colorados move stood out because it felt like a direct response to what the roster was missing. [Read more 🡒]
Another Former Avalanche Winger Just Became Someone Elses Answer
Victor Olofssons lone season in Colorado turned out to be a productive stop along the way, with the winger contributing as a scoring complement and showing the kind of finishing touch that has followed him around the league. He put up 25 points in 60 games for the Avalanche, including 11 goals, and delivered a few memorable flashes along the way, from three game-winners to the first hat trick of his NHL career.
Now Vegas is bringing him back into the fold after reshuffling its roster and opening a spot on the power play. The Golden Knights moved Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers, leaving a familiar lane for Olofsson to step back into a specialist role he knows well, and for Colorado its another reminder that the Avalanche have become part of the path for a winger other clubs still trust to finish in key moments. [Read more 🡒]