The Colorado Avalanche’s waiver move on Trent Miner barely registered at the time, but it ended up drawing real attention around the league.
Colorado activated the goalie off injured reserve last week and then placed him on waivers, a step that was meant to satisfy the rules before sending him to the Eagles. On paper, it looked routine. In reality, it briefly put Miner in a position where another team could have stepped in.
That’s where the New York Rangers come in. Elliotte Friedman said on the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast that Colorado may not have picked the ideal moment to expose Miner, because New York was dealing with its own goaltending mess and could have considered a depth claim.
“I kind of wondered if they (Rangers) would take Trent Miner on waivers from Colorado… They put (Miner) on waivers on Saturday, but he’s been injured all year, too.”
Miner’s injury history was the big reason the Rangers ultimately stayed away. Still, Friedman noted there was at least some outside thought that Miner could have been useful in a temporary role.
“Someone said to me, ‘it’s just like Miner’s a talented guy who could fill in for the month that Korpisalo was hurt.’ But, he’s just, he hasn’t played.”
That idea made sense because Joonas Korpisalo went down before Igor Shesterkin did, leaving New York thin behind rookie Dylan Garand. For a team searching for stability in goal, Miner at least looked like a possible stopgap.
Instead, he stayed put, and the Avalanche avoided losing him for nothing.
That matters, because Miner remains part of Colorado’s bigger picture in net. The Avalanche have plenty of questions there right now, especially with MacKenzie Blackwood suddenly struggling and Scott Wedgewood playing on a one-year deal.
That leaves the door open for change next season, and maybe even more than that depending on how the situation develops. There could be two openings in 2027-28, and that raises the possibility of a future tandem featuring Miner and Ilya Nabokov.
If Blackwood does not settle in as the dependable option Colorado needs, the pressure around the position is only going to grow.
And after a performance like the one against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, it’s hard to imagine that scrutiny getting any lighter.
In Other News...
Former Avs Assistant Leaves Colorado With One Big Question For Bednar
Dave Hakstols stint on the Avalanche staff appears to be ending after one season, with the former Colorado assistant expected to take over as the new head coach at Arizona State. His departure comes as ASU continues to navigate a messy and unsettling situation surrounding the program, with head coach Greg Powers on administrative leave while investigations continue into the collapse of player Matthew Mayich during off-season workouts.
For the Avalanche, the timing at least brings a clean break from a coach who had been running the power play, but it also leaves one obvious question for Jared Bednar and his staff: what comes next on that side of the bench? Colorado had allowed Hakstol to explore the ASU opening, and with the Sun Devils searching for stability amid ongoing inquiries by university police and legal actions from Mayichs family, his next step could come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Lose A Key Coach As Power Play Questions Keep Growing
Dave Hakstols brief stay on the Avalanche bench is ending after one season, with the veteran coach set to move on from Colorados staff. Hakstol, who came to the Avalanche after previously serving as head coach of the Seattle Kraken, brought a rsum built on experience behind the bench and a presence the organization had counted on as it tried to keep its coaching structure stable.
For Colorado, the timing adds another layer to a power play that has already been under scrutiny lately. The club has not announced a replacement, leaving an important piece of the staff picture unsettled as the Avalanche sort through what Hakstols exit means for a unit that needed help before this news broke. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Could Lose A Coach Tied To One Lingering Problem
The Avalanche may be preparing for a coaching change off the ice, with assistant Dave Hakstol emerging as a candidate for a different bench job while Colorado tries to keep its staff intact. Hakstol remains with the Avalanche as of the latest practice, and Arizona State has not confirmed anything yet, but the situation has advanced far enough that Colorado has already granted permission for ASU to speak with him.
For an Avalanche team that has leaned on stability behind the bench, any movement involving Hakstol matters because of the role he has played in addressing one lingering problem. Negotiations are still ongoing, which leaves the door open to either a departure or a return to business as usual, but for now it adds another bit of uncertainty around a team that would prefer not to lose a coach in the middle of the seasons rhythm. [Read more 🡒]