The Colorado Avalanche crossed one need off the checklist on Wednesday.
Colorado acquired Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators for a 2027 fifth-round pick. Blankenburg, who will turn 28 in May, will likely be drafted as the nation’s No. 1 defenseman. 7 on the Avs depth chart.
Blankenburg, who is 5-foot-9, is a right-hander who scored six goals and 21 points in 49 games for the Predators this season. He was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan when he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.
Although he had no NHL playoff experience, Blankenburg scored 16 goals and 55 points in 164 NHL games between Columbus and Nashville. The Avs have brought in six defensemen since trading their previous No. 7, Ilya Solovyov, to Pittsburgh on Jan. 20.
Colorado also used Jack Ahcan and Keaton Middleton for a combined 12 games this year. Adding Blankenburg now gives the club five right-handed shots in the top seven, so it stands to reason the Avs will add a depth defenseman before Friday afternoon’s trade deadline.
Want more Avalanche news? Sign up for Avalanche Insider to get all our NHL analysis.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.