Panic in Denver? Avalanche ready to shake things up with core piece on the trade block
Photo credit: AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill
Speculation indicates that Martin Necas may not have been completely satisfied with his early stint in Denver. Although he's only spent half a season with the Avalanche, there remains a possibility he chooses to stick around.
The problem is that the Colorado Avalanche can't take the chance of losing him for nothing in free agency next summer, particularly after banking on him signing a long-term deal.
Avalanche plotting major trade to replace Necas.
Conor Lively from Mile High Sticking writes that the Avalanche will likely need to throw in some draft picks, but the gist is that Jordan Spence appears to be the odd man out on the Kings' crowded blue line, and L.A. has reportedly been exploring trade options.
"He's a solid blueliner and can provide the same kind of game that Lindgren or Manson play. I think he's a much better defenseman as Lindgren gets caught flat-footed pretty often and Manson is a rollercoaster. Spence would provide value as a second pair defenseman or could push down to the third if Malinski continues to play at the level he was at the end of last season." -Lively
To land Necas from Colorado, the Kings would also offer up forward Alex Laferriere.
Laferriere, with just two seasons of experience, enjoyed a breakout year last season, tallying 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points. Since the Kings' system emphasizes strong defense, he's likely well-positioned defensively, and joining Colorado's dynamic top six could allow him to generate even more offense.
"The big risk here is that no one knows if Laferriere is going to continue to excel. Los Angeles knows better than anyone, but replacing him with Necas has to be tempting. The big benefit here for the Avalanche is that they should be able to save some money here. Laferriere is due to receive a solid contract, likely between $3.5 and $5.0m, depending on the term. The Avalanche could afford to give him $4.0m for four years. That's a much cheaper deal than what Necas will command for an extension or in free agency." -Lively
We'll see how it all unfolds in the near future.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 28 | 29 ANSWERS Panic in Denver? Avalanche ready to shake things up with core piece on the trade block Would you trade Martin Necas for Alex Laferriere and Jordan Spence? | ||
| yes | 10 | 34.5 % |
| no | 19 | 65.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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