Avalanche make a trade with Toronto, could it be a sign of things to come?

The Avalanche made four moves at the trade deadline last year that helped them win the Stanley Cup.

Expect team president Joe Sakic and general manager Chris MacFarland to be busy again this year. There’s no question the additions of Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson and Andrew Cogliano helped Colorado win it all a season ago.

And the Avs braintrust got busy on Monday morning, making the first of what’s sure to be a handful of deals between now and the March 3 NHL trade deadline. The team acquired forward Denis Malgin from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for winger Dryden Hunt.

We have acquired forward Denis Malgin from the Maple Leafs in exchange for Dryden Hunt. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/kMIZRwPdwt

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 19, 2022

As far as trades go, this one won’t be the top story on NHL Network tonight. Malgin has played 23 games with the Maple Leafs this year, recording two goals and two assists. Hunt skated in 25 games with the Avs and registered one goal and no assists. This a change of scenery type deal for both players.

However, the Avalanche are betting on the upside of Malgin, who dominated in Switzerland the last couple of years. He had 94 points (40 goals, 54 assists) in 93 games with two different clubs while playing in the National League. It’s regarded as the top league for the Swiss.

So, we’ll see how it shakes out, but more importantly might it be a sign of moves to come? We know Sakic is always willing to shake things up, as proven a year ago. The Avalanche will get Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon back from injuries early in 2023, but Sakic might feel they need more to win another Cup.

The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the worst teams in the NHL. Could the Avs make a run at someone like a Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews? One report suggests calls have been made.

Regardless, stay tuned, because Malgin won’t be the only new addition to the Colorado locker room over the next few months.

***