NHL Trade Deadline 2012: Avalanche Move Pieces On Monday

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night, 4-1, just hours after the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline. Earlier in the day, the Avalanche made its second deadline move by shipping out T.J. Galiardi, Daniel Winnik and a seventh-round draft pick for Jamie McGinn, Mike Connelly and Michael Sgarbossa. McGinn was the centerpiece of this trade, but he did not play for the Avalanche despite the proximity of the teams in California. He is scorer for the bottom two lines of the team, while the other two are prospects in the minors.

The other move the Avalanche made leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline was trading Kyle Quincey to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Steve Downie. Quincey was then flipped by the Lightning to the Detroit Red Wings for a first-round pick -- the Avalanche and Wings could not agree on a straight-up trade for Quincey. Downie has two goals and five assists in four games since the trade.

The Avalanche are out of the playoffs with 70 points, but the Dallas Stars' 70 points has them holding on to the No. 8 desperately.

Visit Mile High Hockey for more on the Avalanche. Check out SB Nation NHL for more news and notes around the league.

Avalanche Trade Deadline 2012: Colorado Trades Galiardi, Winnik, 7th Rd Pick To San Jose For McGinn, Prospects

The Colorado Avalanche made a big trade at the NHL Trade Deadline, moving forwards Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi and a 7th round pick in the upcoming draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jamie McGinn, Mike Connelly and Michael Sgarbossa.

McGinn, 23, is the only NHL player coming back to Colorado. The Sharks' 2nd round selection in 2006, McGinn has 12 goals this season and should give Colorado some goalscoring in their bottom two lines. He will be a restricted free agent after this season.

Connelly, 22, is a left winger currently playing with AHL Worchester. The undersized forward has 10 goals and 20 points through 40 games.

Sgarbossa, 19, is the top prospect coming back in this deal. The young center has 41 goals and 84 total points in just 57 games this year for OHL Sudbury -- just six points behind the league leader.

Avalanche GM Greg Sherman found a winger in McGinn with some more offensive upside than Winnik, and used the two players to acquire a couple of quality scoring prospects while still keeping the core of the team intact for a playoff run this season. The Sharks get a defensively responsible forward in Winnik and an energy forward in Galiardi. Both teams filled a need and should be happy with the return.

For more coverage, visit our Avalanche blog Mile High Hockey and our Sharks blog Fear The Fin.

2012 NHL Trade Deadline Rumors: Could Avalanche's David Jones Be Moved?

The 2012 NHL Deadline is just hours away and the Colorado Avalanche have mostly been quiet for the last week, at least in actually making a trade. Ever since the team traded Kyle Quincey for the Tampa Bay Lightning's Steve Downie, there hasn't been much movement either way for the Avalanche. But David Jones remains a possible trade piece:

With acquisition of SDownie,Avs looking to move DJones...hearing SJ and Detroit have the most interest.#SNTrade

— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) February 27, 2012

One must wonder what the Detroit Red Wings would be able to offer if the two teams couldn't agree on trade parameters for Kyle Quincey (who wound up in Detroit to complete what essentially became a three-team deal).

Jones has 15 goals and 28 points in 53 games this season, his fifth in the league.

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The Logic Behind The Kyle Quincey Trade

The Colorado Avalanche made a big move on Tuesday, trading defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Tampa Bay Lightning for winger Steve Downie.

NHL Trade Rumors: Lightning Flip Kyle Quincey Almost Immediately To Red Wings For 1st Round Pick, According To Report

The Colorado Avalanche traded defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and almost immediately Quincey was then flipped to the Detroit Red Wings for Detroit's first-round pick in the June entry draft, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Confirmed. TB trades Kyle Quincey for DET's first round pick.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 21, 2012

Sebastien Piche will reportedly head to Tampa Bay as part of the deal.

The Avalanche, then, traded a top 4 defenseman for a winger who immediately goes to one of the team's main rivals for a low-end first round draft pick and a minor leaguer. The Avalanche cleared money in the deal since Downie's cap hit was $1.85 million while Quincey's came in at $3.125 million.

Will the Avalanche be making any more moves before the trade deadline?

Visit Mile High Hockey for more on the Avalanche. Check out SB Nation NHL for more news and notes around the league.

NHL Trade Deadline 2012: Avalanche Acquire Steve Downie From Lightning

The Colorado Avalanche have made a move a week before the NHL Trade by acquiring winger Steve Downie from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

TRADE: The #Avs have acquired Steve Downie from the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Kyle Quincey.

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 21, 2012

TSN's McKenzie first reported that defenseman Kyle Quincey would go to the Lightning to complete the deal. Downie has a $1.85 million cap hit this season before entering unrestricted free agency this season. Downie has 12 goals and 28 points to go with 121 penalty minutes this season.

Downie is a six-year veteran who was the Philadelphia Flyers' first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut during the 2007-08 season before he was traded to the Lightning in 2008 as part of the Matt Carle trade.

Quincey has recorded 23 points and 60 penalty minutes this season for the Avalanche.

Visit Mile High Hockey for more on the Avalanche. Check out SB Nation NHL for more news and notes around the league.

Avalanche Trade Rumors 2012: All Quiet On The Colorado Front

The Colorado Avalanche are mostly quiet right now with less than two weeks to go until the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline.