There's only one NHL team with fewer points than the Colorado Avalanche. Only thing is, the Vegas Golden Knights aren't playing any games yet.
It's a lost season in Denver, and general manager Joe Sakic is looking towards the future.
That future includes Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Tyson Jost. They'll be part of Sakic's solution for his last-place team, whatever that solution may be.
It's no secret the Avalanche are looking to the trade market to help right the ship, and that's going to continue.
"The only thing I'm going to do is what helps this franchise down the line," Sakic said Friday, writes the Denver Post's Terry Frei. "We're not going to be looking to doing anything just for this year. ... We have to get younger.
"I don't plan on moving a guy like MacKinnon, Jost, (and/or) Rantanen," Sakic added. "We have a lot of good pieces here. Will I be listening to different ideas on how to improve us and maybe get us younger and get more depth here? Yeah, we're going to do that."
| Player | Age | Drafted | 2016-17 stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jost | 18 | 10th overall in 2016 | 20 points in 18 GP (North Dakota) |
| MacKinnon | 21 | 1st overall in 2013 | 27 P in 39 GP |
| Rantanen | 20 | 10th overall in 2015 | 18 P in 34 GP |
Jost had a goal and three assists in seven games for Canada at the world juniors, which wrapped up Thursday.
That means the obvious trade candidates are: Matt Duchene, Jarome Iginla, and Gabriel Landeskog.
Related: Report: Avalanche could trade Duchene, Landeskog for young defensemen
| Player | Age | Cap Hit | Contract's final year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duchene | 25 | $6M | 2018-19 |
| Iginla | 39 | $5.33M | 2016-17 |
| Landeskog | 24 | $5.57M | 2020-21 |
Related: 3 teams that should trade for Duchene, Landeskog
It's going to be an interesting couple of months in the Mile High City as the trade deadline approaches, and even an interesting couple of years as Sakic tries to get his team back on track.
While the former Avalanche captain and Hall of Famer hates to lose, he's happy with first-year head coach Jared Bednar, and has no plans to leave his post.
"No, no, no," Sakic said about rumors he may follow Patrick Roy out the door. "No one's having fun going through this. You can't. But from my chair, I'm also looking to the future and it's pretty bright. We'll have some options."
