On March 1st, the Avs acquired defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forward Jimmy Vesey from the New York Rangers. Lindgren is known as one of the league’s toughest players and has appeared in 389 regular-season games in addition to 43 playoff contests in his career. The moment he joined the team, Lindgren was the Avs’ leader in blocked shots.
“The warrior mentality is kind of what draws you into him,” MacFarland said on Monday. “He’s an experienced big-game player.”
After his first practice with the Avs on Sunday, Lindgren said that he’s excited to be in Colorado.
“Obviously a lot of emotions [going] on,” Lindgren said. “But [you] find out you’re coming to Colorado and what a great team they have here.”
Vesey is a veteran with 617 regular-season games and 31 playoff contests over 10 seasons. On Sunday, he said he knew a trade was in play with his contract expiring at the end of the season, but didn’t know what day it would happen.
“But [it’s] exciting news,” Vesey said. “And [I’m] pumped to be here on such a good team.”
MacFarland said Vesey brings good value.
“He’s a guy that [Head Coach Jared Bednar] can use on a second line, third line [and] fourth line,” MacFarland said on Monday. “And he can plug and mix and match and [play on the] penalty kill. He’s a decent-sized guy too, and he’s got some big-game experience as well.”
On March 6th, they continued to add and acquired center Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders during the third period of their 7-3 win against the San Jose Sharks.
“We’re not in rebuild mode,” Nathan MacKinnon said postgame Thursday when talking about the acquisition of Nelson.
Nelson has posted 127 goals since the start of the 2021-22 season, including 20 this season. In 78 career playoff games, he’s recorded 50 points (27g/23a).
“He’s [been] a dynamite center in this league for a long time,” MacFarland said on Friday. “Big body, long, can skate. Good five-on-five player [and on the] power play. Kind of touches every area on the ice. So we think that was a significant upgrade in the middle of the ice.”
Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Nelson is tied for the 15th-most regular-season even-strength goals over that span with 96. Nelson represented Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
“A lot of excitement,” Nelson said about what emotions he’s feeling after his first practice as an Av on Friday. “I’m jacked up. I know a couple of guys a little bit before having crossed paths.”
One of those players is Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, who was a teammate of Nelson’s with the Islanders from 2018-2020.
“My first couple years in the league, I relied on him a lot,” Toews said. “Just learning how to be a pro, what it takes. Where I’m going, where we’re going out to eat.
“He took care of me, covered a lot of dinners when I was on my rookie deal and he was making more money than me. So I’ll have to get him back a few times over. But I’m happy to do that and just super pumped that he’s here now.”
On Friday, deadline day, they acquired center Charlie Coyle from the Boston Bruins and reunited with longtime Av and 2022 Stanley Cup champion Erik Johnson when trading for him from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Coyle has been in the playoffs every year of his 13-year career and has posted 15 goals this season.
“He’s a centerman that can play on the wing or vice versa, however you want to call it,” MacFarland said about Coyle on Friday. “I think it gives [Bednar] and the coaches a tremendous amount of lineup flexibility. They can use him as a matchup guy.
“He’s a big body when he’s rumbling around down low in the offensive zone. He’s a load. And I think when you look ahead, you can see where there could be a massive need for a player like that, who’s playoff tested and who’s a man out there. And that was the draw.”
Johnson, who played in 717 regular-season games and 55 playoff contests over 13 years with the Avalanche from 2011-2023, is back for his second stint in Denver.
“We’re super pumped,” Toews said about having Johnson back on the team. “[He’s] somebody that we’ve loved in this room. Loved having him. A great personality, great player, somebody that knows our structure, our system, how we want to play and what we do on a day-to-day basis of trying to get better and trying to win hockey games.”
These moves by the Avs’ front office signal one thing: the Colorado Avalanche are committed to doing what it takes to bring another Stanley Cup home to Avs Faithful.
“We know we have a contender,” Toews said. “Now it’s on us to show up and play. And management [has] given us the best chance of that.”
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