To Anaheim:
G Alexandar Georgiev (3.6M UFA)
C JG Pageau (1 yr @ 5M)
Avs 1st 2026 (top 10 protected)
To Colorado:
G John Gibson (Ducks retain ~23% [1.5M], NYI retain ~ 17% [1M] = 2 years @ 3.9M to Avs)
To NYI:
F Frank Vatrano (3.6M UFA)
Avs 3rd 2027
The Avs likely should make a goalie move with Georgiev well into a second straight year of very up and down results. There's obviously some risk in Gibson but for the cost of what should be a late first + third rounder, I feel confident the Avs would receive much more consistent goaltending and at a very reasonable cost of $3.9M for two more seasons.
While I have some hesitance to see the Ducks deal from this position of strength - I think there are more signs pointing to moving Gibson vs keeping him as long as enough value is out there. Dostal has shown enough that he needs to be the center of our goaltending focus right now, in terms of getting him exactly the number of starts he needs. The second goalie does not need to be on a 6.4M salary for multiple more seasons, and I think it's fairly obvious that we'd be doing right by Gibson's career by moving him to a team with more pressing ideas of contending. In a perfect world, Georgiev rebounds enough in a lower pressure environment to have value by deadline day. I have faith in this scouting staff to uncover another Stolarz/Hiller to push Dostal next year. The Avs 2025 first is tied up in another conditional deal, hence the 2026 instead. While it's not ideal to wait a year, this draft isn't looking super strong and we are adding a valuable potential trade chip for the next time a star talent comes available.
The inclusion of Vatrano and Pageau may seem odd on the surface. Frank is an impending UFA who I personally don't see locking up with term. Nor do I see him fetching a great return now as a rental, even if his scoring comes back around as expected. Rather than moving him for a 2nd at the deadline, include him in a deal to bring back something we really need. Pageau is a consummate 3C, fast and tenacious plus a faceoff ace. Currently being used out of place as a top 6 winger. Has traditionally produced at a similar clip to Vatrano outside of Frank's big year. Would help tremendously in the faceoff circle and defensively for this year and next.
The Isles seem in need of a shakeup, off to a disappointing start. Rather than use Pageau on the wing, they swap in Vatrano coming off a 37 goal year. They potentially save 4M in cap space for next year (unless using it to keep Frank) and gain a pick for their trouble of eating a small chunk of Gibson's salary (1M per).