Three Trade Targets For The Colorado Avalanche

After trading star right winger Mikko Rantanen Friday, the Colorado Avalanche were criticized by some observers for sending the most talented player in the deal more than a month before the trade deadline.

Some of those same observers were critical because the Avs didn’t get a first-round draft pick in the transaction. Instead, they got a second-round pick and a fourth-rounder as part of the package for Rantanen. But you have to remember that Colorado may not be done dealing before the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline.

They may not have thought they could re-sign Rantanen, but the Avalanche are still competing for the Stanley Cup. That means they could look to address their center depth in the weeks to come.

With that in mind, here are three trade targets the Avalanche should pursue.

Brock Nelson, C, New York Islanders

Nelson, 33, will be a UFA at the end of this season. His $6-million cap hit is above the $3.99 million the team has in space with two players on LTIR, which would require the Islanders to retain salary or Colorado to clear some.

But before the season is through, Nelson could step in for the Avalanche and give them veteran know-how and point-producing capability. The Islanders must build for the future, so they could try to move Nelson to achieve that.

Nelson doesn’t have a Cup win yet, but he has a decent amount of playoff experience, heading to the Conference finals twice. If newly acquired Martin Necas remains on the right wing, and Casey Mittelstadt can’t produce consistently, Nelson can be a stellar second-line center.

There will be competitors for Nelson’s services. The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner reported the Washington Capitals looked into Nelson, for example. So he won’t come cheaply. But playing on an Avalanche team with a much better shot at a playoff appearance than the Islanders could be appealing to Nelson. And if there’s a chance he can be more than a rental for the…