On the Colorado Avalanche …
Adrian Dater of Bleacher Report: Two sources have said that former Avalanche president and GM Pierre Lacroix would be interested in returning to the NHL, and preferably in Colorado.
Chris Johnston of Sportsnet: The Avalanche could trade Jarome Iginla, Matt Duchene and/or Gabriel Landeskog before the deadline. Nathan MacKinnon hopes he isn’t traded.
“I wouldn’t want to get traded to a Cup contender this year,” MacKinnon said in a recent interview. “I want to stay in Colorado and figure this thing out. I mean I don’t think I’m going to get traded – but you never know – obviously it’s a business and (they’ve) got to make the right moves to make the team better.”
Fedor Tyutin, John Mitchell and Rene Bourque are pending free agents that could be moved. GM Joe Sakic has said that everyone other than MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen could be in play.
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Darren Dreger on TSN 1260 on the Avalanche waiting for an offer they can’t refuse for Matt Duchene. This offseason teams would have more cap flexibility and freedom to make a significant move.
“Unless this, and I’m not suggesting this is going to happen, but what if Matt Duchene or Gabriel Landeskog – probably more Duchene, because he has recently acknowledged that he is open to a trade – what if he just grows weary of it all and waltzes down the hallway into Sakic’s office and says, ‘Okay, I want a trade. I’m not giving up on my teammates here, but I’m tired of answering these questions day in and day out in every city that I travel to, and I want to win. And clearly there’s a directional shift here. If you can get something of value to me… let’s get this done sooner rather than later. I do not want to interrupt my summer with this ongoing storyline. I’d rather be fishing and spending time in my cottage.’
“So that could happen. I’m not saying it will, but if that happens then maybe that changes the dynamic of everything going on in Colorado.”
Frank Seravalli of TSN: The Avs are reportedly asking for a young NHL player, a first round pick and a top prospect for Matt Duchene.
“It is tough on them,” MacKinnon said. “Both guys want to be there. They want to figure this thing out. They’re not new – they’ve been in trade rumours before, but this is pretty intense when you’re losing this much. Change is going to happen.
“I think anybody is on top of that stuff when Pierre LeBrun is tweeting out your name all the time. Tyson Barrie was chirping Pierre last week, saying he was in rumours eight times last year.”