Avs deals point to the future rather than the present

DENVER, Col – In the midst of the worst losing streak since the franchise moved to Denver, Colorado made waves over the weekend as they first dealt #1 goaltender Craig Anderson and then followed it up with a blockbuster move which brought Team USA D man Erik Johnson to the Mile High City.
 
With the teams losing streak now at 10 games and the chances of a play-off berth ‘slim’ at best, it does seem the deal with the Blues contains more thought towards the future than the present.
 
Johnson was the 1^st overall pick in 2006, but has perhaps not hit the heights expected of him yet. A bizarre golf cart accident caused him to miss an entire season with a knee injury in 2008/09 and the big blue liner hasn’t recaptured his form since then.
 
But they say a change is as good as a rest, and the Avs will be hoping this rings true for Johnson.
 
In the short term the Colorado defence is pretty beaten up. Both Kyle Cumiskey and Kyle Quincey are out for the remainder of the season and Adam Foote is also currently sidelined with a minor injury, so adding Johnson gives them some much needed help in their own end. In the longer term however there must be some hope Johnson can become the teams #1 D man.
 
The Avs are not short of puck moving D men, a factor which must have led to Shattenkirk being deemed ‘expendable’ when the deal was made. Despite a recent cold streak, John Michael Liles was tremendous during the first half of the season. Norwegian Jonas Holos has showed real potential this year, whilst Kyle Cumiskey is also still seen as a work in progress. What will hit the Avs defence in the near future is the retirement of Adam Foote.
 
There is no clear date yet for Foote’s departure, he may play for another 2 or 3 years, but at 39 it seems likely the rugged blue liner will call time on his career sooner rather than later. Even if Foote does stay on, he is increasingly injury prone – a side affect of being one of the leagues toughest competitors for nearly two decades. Either way, his absence leaves a big hole in the Colorado defence, one Johnson has the potential to fill and perhaps even surpass.
 
Colorado also acquired Jay McLement and a conditional 1^st round pick in the deal.
 
Whilst the pick is likely to be a mid round pick, the Avs do have a good track record of selecting and developing players over recent years, but it is unlikely to truly come to fruit for another couple of seasons at least. Mid 1^st round picks are not generally ‘NHL ready’ after all.
 
McClement on the other hand is an intriguing pick up. With Matt Duchene currently out he does provide welcome experience at center. In the longer term, the 27 year old would be a good depth forward as well as a strong penalty killer. Whilst his name may not immediately jump out, his value as a part of the wider team should not be underestimated.
 
The Avs took a big gamble allowing Stewart and Shattenkirk to leave. As said previously, Shattenkirk may simple have fallen foul of the numbers with other puck moving D men in the system. Stewart is perhaps a little different. Good power forwards are hard to find, but after a 28 goal campaign last season he has looked out or sorts this year, and has struggled to regain his touch in Denver following a 21 game lay off with a hand injury sustained in a fight.
 
It’s certainly a gamble on Sherman’s part, but one which could come with big rewards in the future if the club can get the best out of Johnson.
 
The Craig Anderson trade however seems far more complicated, not because of the involvement of young players and draft picks like the deal with St Louis, but because of the seeming ‘politics’ which may have accompanied the deal.
 
Anderson had looked out or sorts this season and recently missed two games due to ‘personal problems’. Fans and pundits alike were struggling to see how ‘Andy’ could go from Vezina worthy play last season to the unhappy looking, struggling goaltender we saw this year. Had it simple been a flash in the pan?
 
The Denver Post seemed to shed further light on the situation late last night when they reported Anderson had been offered a two year contract extension with a near 200% pay increase over the summer, which he rejected.
 
It is unclear why it was rejected, but there is a suggestion no further negotiations took place and Anderson was perhaps ‘cast out’ a little by the management. It would certainly go some way to understanding why he was unhappy in Denver if true. Either he felt he was being short changed, or he felt he was being treated unfairly. Either way it makes you wonder why negotiations did not continue…
 
Whatever his reasons, the Illinois native was clearly frustrated ahead of his move to Ottawa and Sherman decided to make a move for the benefit of all parties. Coming the other way was a fellow struggling puck stopper – Brian Elliott.
 
Some feel the Avs got a low return for Anderson. Elliott had struggled in Ottawa as the Senators slowly sank to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, whilst Anderson was one of the leagues hottest properties last season and arguable deserved a Hart Trophy nomination.
 
Whilst Elliott has ability, the deal does leave the future of the Avs net wide open. Neither Elliott nor long term Av Peter Budaj has shown the ability to be consistent over the long haul. Budaj has been a capable back up goalie for years, able to step in at a moments notice and perform, but has not been able to make the jump to being the teams #1. Likewise Elliott has shown the ability to go on hot streaks, but equally he has just as quickly gone cold again.
 
Neither man is a clear #1 goaltender; but with Budaj a UFA in July and Elliott an RFA, one can only assume the Avs are hoping one will catch fire down the stretch to reignite any kind of play-off push, rather than sitting on an unhappy and unhelpful situation and simple letting the season finish and lose Anderson for nothing.
 
It seems pretty likely it will simple become a battle to see which puck stopper is kept on next season whilst Sherman explores other avenues to bring in another workhorse starter to replace Anderson.
 
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com