Avalanche Trade Deadline: add Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano
Anthony Scultore
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The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Artturi Lehkonen from the Montreal Canadiens on Monday in exchange for Justin Barron and a second-round draft pick in 2024.
In addition to that move, they also acquired Andrew Cogliano from the San Jose Sharks for a 5th-round pick in 2024.
Avalanche acquire Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Cogliano
Lehkonen, 26, has 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 58 games this season. He was selected in the second round of the 2013 draft by Montreal and has 74 career goals to go with 75 assists in five-plus seasons with the franchise.
Barron, 20, was Colorado’s first-round pick (No. 25 overall) in the 2020 draft. He’s appeared in just two NHL games this season and in 43 with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League, tallying 20 points (five goals, 15 assists).
Lehkonen joins winger Tyler Toffoli and blueliner Ben Chiarot as players who have been traded away by the Canadiens.
Cogliano, 34, has 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 56 games this season. He was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1st round of the 2005 NHL Draft.
The Avalanche currently are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with 93 points.
Colorado Avalanche Trade Deadline Analysis
The Avalanche were looking to beef up their bottom six and get some additional scoring depth on Monday. They accomplished that with Lehkonen, who can provide offensive punch while being defensively responsible.
By adding Cogliano, they get a rugged forward with a lot of experience that can bolster their fourth line.
Of course, the Avs got started last week when they traded for Josh Manson and Nico Sturm.
They technically made the first big move of NHL Trade Deadline last week acquiring defenseman Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defense prospect Drew Helleson and a 2023 second round draft pick. In addition, the Ducks will retain 50% of Manson’s $4.1 million cap hit.
Manson, 30, has 9 points in 45 games this season and ranks third on the team in hits with 116. Anaheim selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Manson has totaled 113 points (26 goals, 87 assists) in 453 career contests.
The Avalanche then acquired Nico Sturm from the Minnesota Wild last Tuesday in exchange for fellow forward Tyson Jost.
Sturm, 26, has recorded 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 53 games this season. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Sturm has totaled 36 points (20 goals, 16 assists) in 111 career games with the Wild.
Overall, GM Joe Sakic did a great job to augment his lineup for the playoffs.
–Field Level Media contributed to this article.