The Colorado Avalanche are in a bit of a pinch. They’re TIGHT against the salary cap and don’t have many players on the roster to dump in a cap-related trade. All the while, they are looking to upgrade their forward depth as the captain, Gabriel Landeskog, remains out for the season, and Valeri Nichushkin is currently out indefinitely for the NHL Player’s Assitance Program.
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With the high-end talent that the Avalanche have, they need some players to plug into their middle six to help produce some points in the playoffs. One name that has been mentioned recently in trade chatter is Dominik Kubalik.
Kubalik is a 28-year-old winger from Plzen, CZE. He is currently in his 5th NHL season with his third franchise. Most notably, Kubalik was involved in the Alex DeBrincat trade between the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. Kubalik has played in 330 games when writing this article, tallying 91 goals and 82 assists for 173 points.
Kubalik is mostly known for his goal scoring ability, having hit the 30 goal mark in his rookie season and 20 goals last season with Detroit. With his current cap hit of $2.5 million that expires at the end of the year, he is a short-term gamble for any team looking to acquire him.
One last note on his stats: Kubalik has only played in 9 playoff games, notching 4 goals and 4 assists.
Could the Avalanche be a fit?
The Avalanche’s third line consists of Parise, Johansen, and Kiviranta. They could use a bit of an upgrade to the offensive power on that line. Ryan Johansen has been underwhelming thus far on the Avalanche; adding a skilled scoring winger to his line could make a world of difference in helping him get on the score sheet on a consistent basis.
With Nichuskin being an unknown for if or when he will return to the lineup, Kubalik is a player who can play up and down your lineup and who has proven that he can excel with top-tier talent. His 30 goal campaign with the Blackhawks while riding on a line with Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews alludes to the production he could have with some Avalanche star players.
With the asking price for Kubalik likely being a draft pick, how much would that increase for the Avalanche needing the Senators to retain salary? With the salary cap situation in Colorado, they will need Ottawa to retain salary or send a notable contract back to Ottawa.
If you’re the Avalanche, would you give up a third-round pick in 2025 and a young player/prospect for Dominik Kubalik with a bit of retention?
