Avs Active at Start of Day 2, Swap Picks with San Jose

We thought the Avalanche might move the 31st overall selecting this morning in order to obtain more draft picks, and sure enough they swapped the 31st pick before ever stepping up to the podium. The Colorado Avalanche announced the trade via twitter:

Trade details: – No. 31 to SJ for No. 39 this year – 2nd round in 2016 (held previously by COL) – 6th round in 2017 (held previously by COL)

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 27, 2015

The Avalanche now hold the 39th and 40th picks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

While most expected the Avalanche to trade down for more picks in today’s extremely deep NHL Entry Draft, the Avalanche traded down 8 spots for a pair of picks in the 2016 Entry Draft. An added wrinkle to the plot is that the Avalanche reacquired their own draft picks, used last summer to acquire defenseman Brad Stuart from the San Jose Sharks.

Without their own 2nd round picks the Avalanche would have been unable to provide compensation in the event of a high value offer sheet on Brandon Saad or Dougie Hamilton. Could this trade be the first part of an eventual offer sheet for the Avalanche? We’ll know next week.