The Colorado Avalanche crossed one need off the checklist Wednesday.
Colorado acquired Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators for a 2027 fifth-round pick. Blankenburg, who turns 28 years old in May, will likely slot in as the No. 7 defenseman on the depth chart for the Avs.
Blankenburg, who is listed at 5-foot-9, is a right-handed shot who has six goals and 21 points in 49 games for the Predators this season. He was an undrafted free agent out of Michigan when he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.
While he has no NHL playoff experience, Blankenburg has 16 goals and 55 points in 164 NHL games between Columbus and Nashville. The Avs have been carrying six defensemen since trading their previous No. 7 guy, Ilya Solovyov, to Pittsburgh on Jan. 20.
Colorado has also used Jack Ahcan and Keaton Middleton for a combined 12 games this year. Adding Blankenburg now gives the club five right-handed shots in the top seven, so it’s plausible the Avs will add another depth defenseman before the Friday afternoon trade deadline.
