Over the past several weeks, numerous reports have surfaced suggesting that the Colorado Avalanche are open to trading Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog. Most scenarios seemed pretty unlikely, but a new report from Adrian Dater suggests that both players are still firmly on the trade block, but it’ll take something special to get the Avalanche to agree to a trade.
Duchene and Landeskog remain firmly on trade block, but price is high. Sakic getting multiple offers though. Fluid situation
— Adrian Dater (@adater) January 7, 2017
Realistically, there aren’t any untouchable players in the NHL if the receiving offer is good enough. That being said, the Avalanche have the luxury of demanding a high price for either player due to both the talent each possesses and the fact the trade market is fairly dry at this stage.
The Avalanche are in the league’s basement and while it’d be hard to trade away either Duchene or Landeskog, the time might be right to acquire assets needed for a lengthy rebuild. Duchene, a skilled center, is locked up through 2018-19 and carries an average cap hit of $6 million per year. Landeskog, who is slightly younger than Duchene and a winger, is locked in through 2020-21 at an average hit of $5,571,429 per year.
The price is obviously high on both players, but what are the Avalanche looking for? Would they be interested in a defenseman? One interesting possibility could see the St. Louis Blues dealing Kevin Shattenkirk, a player who has been at the heart of trade rumors since last season, back to the team he started with in the NHL. The Blues are in desperate need of help in the middle, but it remains to be seen if they could package Shattenkirk in a deal that would suit the Avs and if the Avs would even be able to sign Shattenkirk to a new contract when his expires at the end of this season.
The Avs probably won’t part with both assets, but it’d be pretty surprising to see both Duchene and Landeskog in Colorado after the deadline passes.
