Editor’s Note: Above is an audio story, designed to give BSN Denver subscribers the option to listen to this story if they don’t have time to stop and read it in its entirety. We would love to know what you think about it in the comments. Enjoy!
After four years in an Avalanche jersey, Carl Soderberg’s time in Colorado is no more as the Avalanche traded him to the Arizona Coyotes today in exchange for defenseman Kevin Connauton and a 2020 third-round pick.
Soderberg, 33, has just one year remaining on the five-year deal he signed when the Avalanche traded for his free agent rights in 2015. He was Colorado’s highest scoring forward last year after the dominant top line with his 49 points (23g, 26a) in 82 games played.
Statistically, it was Soderberg’s second-best season of his career behind the 51-point year he had in his first year in Colorado. Soderberg did struggle some at the end of the season and notched just two assists in 12 playoff games.
Coming back to Colorado is Connauton, a 29-year-old defenseman signed for one more year at $1.3 million. He appeared in 50 games last year for Arizona and scored eight points (1g, 7a). Colorado’s defense is already pretty loaded but with Erik Johnson having shoulder surgery and Ian Cole having surgery on both hips, there’s a reason to feel like Connauton can play a depth role for the Avs.
In addition to Connauton, the Avs added a third rounder to their 2020 draft coffers. That likely ends up being the primary piece of this deal from Colorado’s end, especially because they didn’t have their own third round selection thanks to the trade deadline acquisition of Derick Brassard.
The deal also leaves an obvious hole in the middle of Colorado’s lineup but also gives them approximately $38.9 million in cap space to work with this summer as free agency opens next week.
“I’d like to thank Carl for everything he has done for the Avalanche both on and off the ice,” Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic said. “This trade allows some of our young centermen to have a chance to play a more prominent role on our team while adding an experienced defenseman to our roster.”
The “young centermen” could be any combination of Alexander Kerfoot, J.T. Compher, Tyson Jost, Vladislav Kamenev, and Shane Bowers. All of those guys have either played in the NHL as centers or in Bowers’ case, will someday.
The other obvious aspect to this deal is how the Avs plan to weaponize the additional cap space. Should they be aggressive in free agency as they’ve previously stated they will be, they likely won’t miss Soderberg much and they’ll be just fine. They’ve already been connected to players like Artemi Panarin, Mats Zuccarello, and Gustav Nyquist.
Below are some of Connauton’s fancy stats, courtesy of Micah Blake McCurdy:
0 Comments (6 conversations)
xdikkx
IneffectiveMath is amazing and is truly doing the Lord’s work.
Chris DeMott
Avs fans should be encouraged in the sense that this only makes sense if Joe truly believes he is going hit his FA targets. And outside of the 63rd pick, what Joe has done has generally made sense.
Hockeyhead
This trade does seem to make sense. With Soderberg’s age and cap hit. He was a good player for us. Too bad he was so snakebite in the playoffs. Hopefully the young lads will fill the center positions so we don’t miss soda. Could be the start of free agent moves. a little more cap space for next year. Johnson’s surgery seems to explain his less than dominant performance in the playoffs, Cole’s too. Like getting the 3rd round 2020 back.
debakeys
Hard to understand how this is an upgrade on defense over Nemeth or others that are likely available. Is it just salary benefit? Struggling to understand logic behind this trade given Connauton’s poor overall numbers, even if the Avs did trade Soderberg before his value was gone and even if they need defense with EJ/Cole are injured. What am I missing AJ?
ColoradoCartography
When you look at Nemeth’s fancy stats vs Connauton…it’s a win for us. Nemeth is 100% red and Connauton is about 50% red 50%.
It’s an upgrade.
ColoradoCartography
50% red 50% blue
Red bad
Blue good
It’s the exact opposite. Nemeth’s chart is significantly better than Connauton’s, which is in the post above. “Even-strength defense: +11%” is an astronomical figure. Nemeth’s is -2%, which is a good but not great figure. You want defense in the negatives, offense in the positives. If Connauton’s numbers were reversed (+11% on offense and -4% on defense), he’d be an analytics darling. He is the opposite of that.
Boreas23
Not sure what to make of this trade. Now we need a 2 and 3c. Not sure Kerfoot and especially Jost is the answer unless they both explode and take another step this season. Kerfoot is a good player but 2c? Maybe 3c IMO. Jost however has been very disappointing and I have little faith at this point in time he will step up seeing he was given plenty of chances last season and never embraced the challenge. With Pavelski being the only decent free agent C on the market I hope Joe is working on something to fill this hole. Fingers crossed.
Pavelski doesn’t really play C anymore, FWIW.
xdikkx
Jost is also only just 21. While it would have been great to see him explode last year, it’s a bit too early to give up on him. His second half was pretty great.
Abacon21
Plus with that 3rd rounder the Avs now have a 3rd this year meaning it opens up more players we could throw offer sheets at. Assuming Panarin doesn’t pan out.
Iconix
Actually it doesn’t help them in that regard – offer sheets require a team to use their own picks, they can’t use one acquired in a trade. The Avs would have to get their original 3rd round pick back from Florida
Abacon21
Damn. I was hoping they could as a lot require a 1-2-3 pick for some decent contracts. I’ll try not to get my hopes up for Panarin. But man that would be AWESOME!
Sunfunbun
Takes faceoffs, tho’.