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5 NHL teams who should trade for Ilya Kovalchuk

By Brad Berreman

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 2: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens skates for position against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 2, 2020 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 2: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Montreal Canadiens skates for position against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 2, 2020 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images /

3. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche are gaining some ground on the St. Louis Blues for the top spot in the Central Division, with four straight wins entering Monday and a 7-1-2 record over their last 10 games. They have the league’s highest-scoring offense (3.69 goals per game), but they have a middle of the road power play (19.3 percent, 16th in the league) and a closer look at the stat sheet is telling.

Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog have both missed a chunk of games this season, which has held down their scoring production. But after Nathan MacKinnon‘s 76 points in 54 games, no one else has more than 42 points (rookie defenseman Cale Makar). Andre Burakovsky has had a solid season after being acquired from the Washington Capitals last offseason (40 points – 17 goals, 23 assists), but more secondary scoring has been a need for Colorado and it could still be addressed even with Rantanen and Landeskog healthy.

The Avalanche have the most cap space in the league right now, with first-round picks the next three years to consider parting with and second-round picks the next two drafts after this one. A trade for Kovalchuk could be a piece of what general manager Joe Sakic does at the deadline, and despite not really being mentioned as a rumored suitor, don’t rule the Avs out.

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