Avalanche trade-deadline targets: Five names to watch ahead of March 21

The Avalanche is looking to add a player or two before the March 21 NHL trade deadline. A top-six scoring forward, a gritty depth forward and/or a depth defenseman are the potential targets.

One spot where the Avs won’t likely be looking for an upgrade? In goal, where goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Pavel Francouz will remain the top two options as long as they remain healthy.

Cap space is tight for Colorado, but it opens to a projected $3,889,225 on deadline day. Per CapFriendly.com, “the deadline cap space is the total sum of cap-hit values that the current daily cap hit can be increased by on deadline day to remain compliant below the cap ceiling at season’s end.”

Here are a few likely targets between between now and March 21:

F Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers. Philly’s 34-year-old captain has played all 994 of his NHL regular-season games (through Thursday) with the Flyers. Philadelphia could collect a boatload of trade pieces for Giroux and still re-sign the pure right-shot, goal-scorer in the offseason. He must first agree to waive the no-move clause attached to the final year of his $8.275 million cap hit, and the Avs would have to get creative to absorb that salary. Giroux, who stands 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, has reached 25 goals five times and is again on pace this season (17 through 50 games). He can play center or right wing and win faceoffs.

F Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks. The Czech Republic native is 28 and also a pending UFA who can play center or right wing (his preference as a lefty). He’s got good size (6-3, 215) and has 22 goals in 54 games for the rebuilding Sharks, with whom he serves as an alternate captain. Hertl also has a no-move clause but would seemingly waive it to chase the Cup — and re-sign with San Jose in the offseason if he wishes to remain a Shark.

F Joe Pavelski, Dallas Stars. Pavelski, 37, is Dallas’ leading scorer and would be Colorado’s clear-cut No. 1 target right now if the Stars were out of the playoff hunt and willing to sell off pending free-agent assets. But Dallas is in the Central Division/Western Conference wildcard conversation and certainly not currently interested in moving Pavelski, who also plays center or right wing. But if the Stars struggle the next two weeks, the Avs would probably target this guy over all others. He’s a big-time clutch scorer and playoff performer who is excellent in the faceoff circle and well-regarded in the locker room. He would make more sense than Giroux because his cap hit is $1.275 million less ($7 million).

F J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks. He leads Vancouver in scoring with 60 points (20 goals) in 53 games and has one more year on a contract that carries a $5.25 million cap hit. Thus, he would also be part of Colorado’s plans next season. Right now, the club has three top-six forwards (Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nichushkin) questionable to return as pending UFAs. So Miller could help the Avs down the stretch and fill a void next season — before Nathan MacKinnon’s team-friendly contract expires.

D Colin Miller, Buffalo Sabres. The Avs are carrying just two right-shot defensemen in Cale Makar and Erik Johnson. Miller, 29, could become the third — and he’s battle-tested, having played in all 20 postseason games for the Vegas Golden Knights en route to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. Miller, 6-1 and 200 pounds, would likely be a rental. He’s in the final year of his contract with a $3.875 cap hit. Right-shot defensemen are considered a rare commodity, but there is no shortage in potential rentals this year.

Others in consideration: F Rickard Rakell, Ducks (pending UFA); D Zdeno Chara, Islanders (pending UFA); F Phil Kessel, Coyotes (pending UFA); D Ben Chiarot, Canadiens (pending UFA); D John Klingberg, Stars (pending UFA); D Jacob Chychrun, Coyotes (three more years at $4.6 million); F Jake DeBrusk, Bruins (pending RFA); F Cal Clutterbuck, Islanders, (pending UFA); F Calle Jarnkrok, Kraken (pending UFA).

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