NHL Rumors: Latest Trade Rumblings for Avalanche, Blue Jackets and More

There are bound to be surprises between mid-November and the end of the 2014-15 NHL season, but it is also rather clear already that some teams need to make moves if they plan on playing in the postseason. 

Then there are the teams that are a piece or two away from serious contention.

Whenever there are squads that could use a player or two, there are bound to be subsequent trade rumors that circulate around the league. With that in mind, read on to see the latest on the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets and Boston Bruins.

Colorado Avalanche

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Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun provided an update on possible moves from the Colorado Avalanche:

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Many believe Colorado GM Joe Sakic and coach Patrick Roy may get itchy fingers if the Avs can’t get their act together. The Avs let Paul Stastny go because the club is concerned about having to sign Nathan MacKinnon, but now Colorado is paying the price. The thinking is if the Avs get desperate enough they might be willing to move some of their young assets to get help right now.

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The Avalanche could use some help across the board.

Offensively, they rank 21st in the league in goals per game at 2.4 and 23rd in power-play percentage at 13.6. It was clear from when they were shutout in the first two games of the season that the Avalanche need more firepower if they hope to advance deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Whether that comes in the form of a trade or not remains to be seen, but Colorado also needs help on the blue line. Garrioch mentioned that it needs defense, as the team is 21st in goals against at three a night. 

Colorado could certainly make a trade at some point this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Garrioch provided an update on the Columbus Blue Jackets as well in the same story:

“Given the injury situation in Columbus, some are wondering if GM Jarmo Kekalainen should accept the club’s fate and start moving assets for next year? If they can’t re-sign winger Nick Foligno, then he could bring back assets in a deal.”

No team in the NHL has been as snake-bitten as the Blue Jackets this season.

They had incredibly high hopes before the year began after a run to the playoffs in 2013-14, but they have already lost seemingly the entire team to injury. James Wisniewski, Sergei Bobrovsky, Artem Anisimov, Nathan Horton, Boone Jenner, Matt Calvert, Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Murray, Cody Goloubef, Mark Letestu and Nick Foligno have all dealt with some form of ailment at some point this season.

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

As a result, Columbus is in last place in its division and has little hope at the playoffs. 

Nick Foligno is making $3.1 million this season, and moving that contract (and talent) could land some young assets in return. Columbus could bounce back within a year or two with a quick rebuild if it grabs a couple of young contributors in a trade.

Boston Bruins 

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Mark Divver of The Providence Journal noted that the Boston Bruins could be making a move:

Defenders David Warsofsky, Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara and Kevan Miller have all been injured to a certain extent this year, which is why there may be a need on that end of the ice.

Chara commented on his physical setback, via Matt Kalman of NHL.com: "No, there is not a timeline right now. I wish I could tell you guys exactly when I'm going to return. But at this point really it's just such a slow process that who knows what the days are going to be."

Those are certainly not the words Bruins fans want to hear.

Steve Babineau/Getty Images

To Boston’s credit, the defense has held up well lately. The Bruins allowed two goals in a win over Edmonton, one goal in an overtime win over Florida, two goals in a win over Ottawa and two goals in an overtime win against Buffalo.

However, the objective for the Bruins is to win the Stanley Cup, and they are one of the handful of teams that could realistically accomplish that. Adding a defender, especially given the injury problems, would bolster the depth moving forward and improve those chances. 

It will certainly be worth monitoring Boston’s moves in the coming weeks.

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