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Are Avs going 'big-game hunting'? |
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Rick Sadowski
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The NHL draft is a week away, soon to be followed by the July 1 start to free agency, so plenty can happen before, during and after these offseason transaction periods.
What will the Avalanche do? They have the No. 10 pick in the first round and director of amateur scouting Alan Hepple, without revealing a whole lot, told the Denver Post that (barring a trade) they'll use it on the player they deem to be the best available, the same philosophy they had under Rick Pracey.
That obviously doesn't necessarily mean the same type of player, otherwise Pracey would still be working for Colorado.
But it sure seems like general manager Joe Sakic and coach Patrick Roy are more than amenable to making some major moves. Restricted free agent and arbitration eligible defenseman Tyson Barrie has been mentioned prominently in trade speculation for quite some time, and to a lesser extent center Matt Duchene, whose name came up early in the season.
It's back.
TSN's Darren Dreger recently told TSN 1040 Vancouver that he believes the Avalanche will be "big-game hunting" on the trade front after missing the playoffs two seasons in a row.
I get it, the Avalanche don't want to pay whatever Barrie's representatives apparently are looking for in a new contract -- possibly above Duchene's $6 million per year salary ceiling -- but I also don't see how they can give up the kind of puck-moving defenseman that's so crucial to their offense (such as it is).
Yeah, Barrie is small and weak defensively, but he's also 24 and one of the top-scoring blue liners in the league. Depending on what they might get in return, dealing Barrie would leave them with one offense-minded defenseman, Erik Johnson, and he's coming off a pretty bad year.
As for Duchene, I'd really hate to see this guy go. He scored a career-high 30 goals this past season despite missing six games with a knee injury, and there isn't another player on the roster who can match his passion for this organization.
Anyway, here's Dreger (the transcript is courtesy of Today's Slapshot's Chris Nichols):
“No, it’s not just noise," Dreger said. "I know that Joe Sakic has told NHL general managers that he’s willing to listen and willing to deal any of those big guys like Barrie, like Duchene. But it’s got to be part of something big. Something significant.
“And look, we’re getting close to the place where the freedom and flexibility to make those type of deals is probably best than it is at any point in the season, and that’s on the draft floor or right before the draft.
“I had a couple of people during my Stanley Cup run here, guys I trust who are pretty deeply connected to the Avalanche, say that the sense is that they’re willing to move just about anyone outside of Nathan MacKinnon. I find that to be a bit hard to believe, but Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche are big-game hunting. They know that they’ve got to do something fairly significant to turn this organization around, and the only way you can do that is by being bold and making some moves.”
Dreger was asked if he feels the Avalanche would need to get a similarly-aged player, rather than a high-end prospect or draft pick, in a trade involving Duchene, 25.
"Yeah, it depends," he responded. "The Colorado Avalanche, as we know, are also in the market for defense. They’d like to bolster that blue line as well. But if you’re moving out Matt Duchene, like I said – for me, those names are a stretch. That’s not to say that it’s not going to happen, and it very likely could happen. But to make it happen, it’s almost got to be a perfect scenario for Sakic and the Avs. Again, it’s a top defenseman or a like player, or somebody who’s going to help that team offensively and get them going in that regard.
“So again, I’m always skeptical of these kinds of storylines, but every time I ask the question, I don’t get enough information back that tells me I should stop asking questions because the names that I keep asking about, I don’t get the response that, ‘No, we’re not moving that player, so let’s stop speculating.’
“It’s quite the opposite, in fact.”
*****
I'd be remiss without mentioning the great Gordie Howe, who passed away at age 88 last week and whose funeral took place Wednesday in Detroit.
Wish I had a wonderful personal story to add, but my only encounter with Mr. Hockey took place in 1994 when I was covering the Kings for the Los Angeles Daily News during Wayne Gretzky's pursuit of Howe's career goal-scoring record.
I met Howe once, briefly, during a press conference at the old Great Western Forum in Inglewood when he and Gretzky talked about the record and what it meant to both. This was when Howe started to follow the Kings around so he'd be on hand when the record fell.
Still have one of the T-shirts that were handed out.
'
I don't recall much about the press conference, other than Howe was gracious about the fact that his cherished and long-time record was eventually going to fall. It obviously helped that Gretzky idolized Howe, and the two had a great relationship.
I covered the March 23, 1994 game when Gretzky scored his record-breaking 802nd goal, which came in a 6-3 Kings loss to the Canucks against goalie Kirk McLean at the Forum.
I have a few copies of the official scoresheet packed away in a box somewhere, along with a large Leroy Neiman painting of the milestone moment, signed by Gretzky and the artist, hanging in our living room.
I also was in Edmonton on Oct. 15, 1989 when Gretzky tied and broke Howe's record for points (1,850) in a 5-4 overtime win against his former Oilers teammates.
Historical moments, to be sure.
May you rest in peace, Mr. Hockey.
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