Evan’s NHL Daily: Trade Deadline Recap, Highlight Reel Ritchie

The NHL Trade Deadline has finally passed us all by. It’s fun for everyone, but I’m happy to see it go, because I’m exhausted and can finally sleep. Colorado made five moves to improve their team, but the top teams in the Western Conference didn’t exactly sit still either. We’ll recap the NHL Trade Deadline and say goodbye to it.

One guy the Avalanche did not move was Calum Ritchie. I asked Chris MacFarland if it was important to hold on to guys like that while still improving the team, and he gave a great answer. Later in the day, Ritchie showed why he might be as close to untouchable as you’ll get for the Avalanche.

All that and more in this Saturday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

It was a minor move, but it’s something. Ben Meyers was sent to Anaheim to recoup a draft pick by Colorado.

A brand new film room focusing on Casey Mittelstadt and how, beyond his dazzling playmaking ability, the rest of his game is very subtle. (+)

One thing the Avalanche did not do is get a goaltender. The pressure is on Alexandar Georgiev to hold up his end of the bargain down the stretch.

Georgiev got off to a great start on Friday, playing a dynamite game. The game winner (fittingly) belonged to Valeri Nichushkin.

This weekend, Nikolai Kovalenko’s team is on the brink of elimination, we’ll analyze all the moves by the Avalanche, and Colorado is pursuing a Swedish League star. I talked to a scout over in Sweden for more info on him.

Highlight Reel Ritchie

I asked Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland if it was important to hold on to some of their top prospects to continue building towards the future. I thought he gave a great answer.

“It’s a fine line, right? Our guys to determine, for Joe [Sakic], myself, Kevin [McDonald], the staff, do they deserve to have the chips pushed in, and we think they did. Nate and these guys, they’re in their prime. It’s a fine line though, and you got to make some tough decisions. Cal Ritchie is a really good prospect, and he plays a center position. He’s having a great year in the Ontario Hockey League. He’s got a very bright future. We’re equally as excited about [Mikhail] Gulyayev, who we took. He’s played in the KHL with men all year and played a Top 4 role. You never say never on anything, if it means improving your hockey team, but those are guys that we value very, very highly and believe they have a bright future.”

Later that evening, Calum Ritchie showed exactly why he’s not someone the Avalanche wanted to move at the NHL Trade Deadline.

Calum Ritchie continues to show why the Avalanche were reluctant to move him in any sort of deal. pic.twitter.com/pREnSnV0eE

— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) March 9, 2024

He added two more assists to move to 71 points in 44 games. Mikhail Gulyayev’s KHL team is moving on to round two.

Trade Deadline Recap

Time for me to finally get some sleep, as the NHL Trade Deadline has finally come and gone. Let’s take a look at who the top teams in the West added to get better.

Dallas Stars – They added just Chris Tanev, who is a very good defenseman and will only make them tougher to play against. Perhaps their biggest addition will be playing Logan Stankhoven, the top scorer in the AHL, full time in the NHL.

Winnipeg Jets – Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli for draft picks brings two veteran goal scorers in without giving up anyone on your roster. The Jets are already a tough team for the Avalanche to match up with just because of their style, and they’ll only get tougher.

Edmonton Oilers – Adam Henrique is a solid veteran to add to the lineup, but I’m wondering if they move Draisaitl to the wing full-time after a move like this.

Vegas Golden Knights – They added everyone in the NHL to their lineup, apparently. Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, and Anthony Mantha for no one that really is on their roster means that, once again, Vegas is going for it. Right now, they’re a wild card team, and no one would want to face them in the first round.

Vancouver Canucks – Everyone knows what they did, because it all happened well before the NHL Trade Deadline. Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, although Lindholm has really struggled. I guess that’s the cautionary tale of the deadline.

The West is loaded up again. Who do you think comes out of it?

National Hockey Now

Evgeni Malkin had a heartfelt message to the fans in Pittsburgh.

The Bruins made one minor move, adding Andrew Peeke to their blueline.

They liked the San Jose Sharks deadline? Here’s why…

Seeing Erik Johnson in a Philadelphia Flyers jersey will be very strange.

The Devils made a few moves in net, but the one I liked was getting Kahkonen and only giving up the worst starting goalie in the NHL.