Colorado Avalanche named landing spot for Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche could be perfect trade partners before the 2025 NHL trade deadline. The Blue Jackets’ impending free agent defenseman Ivan Provorov is generating a lot of interest and speculation around the league, and recent rumors suggest he could be headed to the Western Conference.

NHL insider Pierre LeBrun recently suggested that the Avalanche would be an excellent landing spot for the Blue Jackets defenseman. In a recent article for The Athletic, he wrote about why the Avs would make sense.

“The Avs need a blue-line boost as only three Ds are currently playing more than 20 minutes per game: Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Samuel Girard,” he wrote. “I could imagine the Avs trying to find another way to get Provorov” instead of spending another first-round pick, but I love the fit. Provorov to the Avs: Let’s do it.”

Even though this is speculation, the agreement on Colorado’s side makes perfect sense. As LeBrun writes, they rely heavily on their top three defenders. The team has its sights set on the postseason and needs to distribute ice time to advance. Cale Makar can seemingly play any shift, but relying on that alone isn’t the best recipe for winning a championship.

Provorov could slot into the second team pairing and immediately solidify their defensive group. He can join the rush and fit into their fast-paced system, but has also raised his game on his own end. In 35 games, he scored three goals and 10 assists for 13 points while playing over 23 minutes per game. He fills the perfect need for the Avalanche and could be the person to send the team into the top contender category.

Another big bonus for the Avalanche is Provorov’s salary situation. He’s a pending free agent, so Colorado has no obligation to bring him back if things don’t work out or if he exceeds expectations and gets paid out. But he now counts $6.75 million against the salary cap. Not a small number, but compared to the top four defensemen who can play more than 20 minutes and in multiple situations, that’s a bargain. It would be a great addition for the Avs.

One possible hindrance to all of this is that Provorov may prefer to remain in Columbus. According to the defenseman’s agent, it was LeBrun who recently reported that the 27-year-old was open to an extension with the Blue Jackets. That’s not a guarantee that a deal will get done, but it could make it significantly more difficult for a team like Colorado to sign him.

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