Colorado Avalanche in Trade Mode: Players They Should Definitely Not Move

The Colorado Avalanche are pretty much lost for the season.  With 59 points, the Avalanche are currently 14th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference, with only the Edmonton Oilers behind them.

The Avalanche recently lost to Edmonton, at home, by the score of 5-1 and have lost 12 out of their last 13 games. 

The Avalanche have also shown that they are changing direction with their team.  After refusing to make any major changes in the offseason, saying that they want to build from within, the Avalanche have made several trades and are seemingly dismantling their current roster.

Trading Craig Anderson, Chris Stewart and Kevin Shattenkirk away are huge moves considering the importance that this team placed on young talent.  And there are still several rumors running around about potential trades the Avalanche could make by the deadline.

Though it seems like anybody could go, here are some players that the Avalanche would be foolish to get rid of.

1. Milan Hejduk

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DENVER, CO - JANUARY 20: Milan Hejduk #23 of the Colorado Avalanche passes the puck against the Nashville Predators battle for control of the puck at the Pepsi Center on January 20, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Predators defeated the Avalanche 5-1. (Ph

Hejduk has been the picture of consistency on this Avalanche team ever since he joined them in the 1998-1999 season.  He has scored 20 or more goals every single year of his career, except for his rookie year, where he scored 16 goals.  Currently, Hejduk has 19 goals and is almost assured to get his 20th with 20 games left.

Hejduk also is that veteran guy who has that kind of calming influence on his team.  He's been a part of every single situation that professional hockey can throw at you.  On a team that is so young, they need somebody that the young guys can look at and know he'll be there no matter what.

Also, Hejduk is the least likely to go, as he has a no-trade clause in his contract.  A contending team who needs a really solid scoring threat on the second line would love to get their hands on Hejduk, but he is a Colorado guy through and through and would have the final say on whether or not he's traded.

Many Avalanche followers seem to believe that this will be the last year for current Avalanche captain Adam Foote, and it isn't out of the picture to think that Hejduk could end up the next captain of the Avalanche.

2. Paul Stastny

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DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 23: Paul Stastny #26 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Edmonton Oilers at the Pepsi Center on February 23, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Oilers defeated the Avalanche 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Stastny jumped onto the scene with the Avalanche his rookie year, having 28 goals and 50 assists.  He put up about the same numbers the following season, even though he played in only 66 games.  His numbers since his first two years have declined, but that is because teams have recognized that he is a top-tier player in the league and requires that type of attention defensively.

Stastny is another calming influence on the ice.  He is a great playmaker and definitely has the ability to make all the people on the ice with him a scoring threat.  He has awesome hands and can put pucks in the net too.

He is another one who is pretty easy to count on for 20 goals a year and has done a much better job of shooting the puck instead of trying to make the really difficult pass this year. 

Stastny is also another player that could be the next captain of the team.  The Avalanche obviously think a lot of him as he is currently in the third year of a six-year contract.

His contract is also the thing that might make him the hardest of the Avalanche players to move.  Stastny's cap hit is $6.6 million and a team trading for him definitely has to take that into account.  A team close to the top of the salary cap would need to match the size of the contract to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. 

That means that the Avalanche could get a decent amount of value in return for Stastny, but there aren't a lot of players that can do what Stastny can do for a team. 

3. John-Michael Liles

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DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 14: John Michael Liles #4 of the Colorado Avalanche takes a shot against the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center on February 14, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Flames defeated the Avalanche 9-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Many Avalanche fans will tell you that the one thing the Avalanche have way too much of is small, fast-skating, puck-moving defenseman.  That cannot be argued, but of all the ones the Avalanche have on the team, Liles is the only one that is really effective.

Liles plays much bigger than he is, and he is actually able to take the body in the defensive zone.  He also isn't afraid to put himself in harm's way.  Earlier this year, Liles dove in front of a shot that ended up hitting him square in the face. 

What's most important about Liles is that he is smart.  He rarely makes bad decisions with the puck, and he jumps into the play at smart times that really helps his team.  He takes risks but at times where his chances of success are very good.  Peter McNab, Avalanche color announcer, has compared him to Sandis Ozolinsh several times, saying that Ozolinsh is the only player he has seen that is better at sneaking in without being noticed.

Liles isn't new to the trade rumor mill.  It seems that every year, for about the last three or four years, his name is in the mix.  He has a good trade value because he produces.  He just broke the 40-point mark for the season with two assists against the Kings.  With 20 games left, he may even break the 50-point mark.

Trading Liles would be a mistake because he is the best offensive defenseman that the Avalanche have.  If you have a guy that is that effective, why would you trade him?  Plus, at age 30, Liles has several good years left in him. 

4. Matt Duchene

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DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 23: Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during warm ups prior to facing the Edmonton Oilers at the Pepsi Center on February 23, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Oilers defeated the Avalanmche 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger

This is a no-brainer, and it's pretty safe to say that there is no chance that Duchene gets moved. 

If there is anybody that would be considered untouchable, it would be Duchene.  He is clearly the future of this team, and, after next season, he'll get locked up in a long-term deal that will keep him a member of the Avalanche for years. 

Let me be clear, there have been no rumors regarding Duchene being traded.  The purpose of this article is to mention Avalanche players that should definitely not be traded.  Duchene is definitely one of those.

5. Daniel Winnik

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DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 16: Daniel Winnik #34 of the Colorado Avalanche controls the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Pepsi Center on February 16, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Penguins defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Doug Pen

Daniel Winnik is on the list because it had seemed like people that were getting moved were people that had been in Sacco's dog house.  Winnik was very recently on this list as he was a healthy scratch a game after the Avalanche snapped their long losing streak.

Sacco is all about sending messages, and one of those messages is that if he feels like he can win without you; you can be traded.  Just ask Chris Stewart, who is enjoying a pretty good start in St. Louis, having scored five goals since being traded.

Winnik was one of the brightest spots on the team earlier in the year.  He was solid defensively and added in a lot of great scoring from his third line position.  All things have slowed down for the Avalanche right now, including his production.  Nonetheless, it would be a huge mistake to trade him.  Winnik has doubled his goal output this year and is a very valuable asset that other teams might want for a playoff run.  He's good five-on-five, can kill penalties and rarely takes bad penalties. 

At age 25, he's the type of guy that has a lot of years left and one that any team would want to keep around for a long time.