Colorado Avalanche Boosts Roster with Brock Nelson Trade

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00:00A lot leads up to that deadline, including earlier this week, Chris, when you look at the big deal

00:05for the Colorado Avalanche, acquiring Brock Nelson from the Islanders. What stands out to you most

00:10about that deal with Brock Nelson now heading to the abs? This is an amazing deal for Colorado.

00:17This is something that they really needed down the middle of the ice. Of course, we all know that

00:20Nathan McKinnon is a stud, but you go back and look at the last time the Avalanche won the Stanley

00:24Cup. They had a solid number two in Nazem Qadri, and they lost him through free agency after they

00:31won the Cup. And they've been starving for somebody who could be on that second line.

00:36And Brock Nelson, this is a nine-time 20-goal score. Nine of his 12 years, he's hit the 20-mark,

00:4218-plus goals in 11 of his 12 seasons, 30-plus over his past three, averaging 36-per

00:48over that span. And just since the start of 2021, he's top 25 in goals.

00:52So you look at some of the edge stats, he brings a lot of speed to an already fast Colorado team

00:57with McKinnon and Kale McCarr. And you got Duran and Nchushkin back in the lineup as well. It moves

01:02Casey Middlestat to the third line, so it gives him a lot of balance. Middlestat's a nice player,

01:06but he's not a top six player. So it gives Colorado a lot of balance. And moving on from

01:11Miko Rantan, that surprised a lot of people. But even the organization said, it's nice to have

01:16Miko Rantan in, kind of felt like they were a one-line team, a lot of top-heavy guys.

01:20But now moving on from Rantan, getting Martin Neches from Carolina. He's been fantastic alongside

01:26Nathan McKinnon, also brings a lot of speed to the abs. And now Brock Nelson. So you're essentially

01:30moving off from Miko Rantan, and then you fill some holes with those two players as well. So

01:34Colorado love this move by them, and they're certainly worthy of being cup contenders.

01:41Other moves that you see there, Jake Wallman, another great add by the Oilers. They've lost

01:44six of their past eight. They need help on the blue line. They've allowed the second-most goals

01:48since the Four Nations face-off. We know what they have to offer in Drysdale and McDavid.

01:53They went to the Stanley Cup final last year, lost by a goal. So Jake Wallman is a really

01:57terrific add and just shorts up what they needed, and that's some help on the blue line.