It seems counter-intuitive that a team rumored to be so interested in obtaining blueline help would also be interested in trading one of the few effective defensive pieces they already have, but nevertheless, this seems to be the case currently facing the Colorado Avalanche.
The Avs, one of the worst defensive teams in the league - they're 21st in goals against average - and facing an uphill climb just to stay in the postseason conversation, have long been rumored to be seeking an upgrade to their blueline depth.
Now, possibly in an effort to clear cap space and make room for a younger, more offensively capable body, possibly just to obtain value for a piece they no longer see as a fit with the team, the Avs are rumored to have made Jan Hejda available in trade.
"A new name coming up in trade rumblings is Colorado defender Jan Hejda. Left-hand shot, 36 years old, about to be unrestricted, still plays 21:38 a night, second on the team behind Erik Johnson," writes TSN's Eliotte Friedman.
While eating up minutes for a team that's known for poor defensive play isn't exactly an indication of success or his overall value, Hejda is still a mostly effective player who could offer a team a quality depth rental for the playoff push.
"Hejda doesn't spend much time on power plays, so those tend to be harder minutes, as only Johnson starts in the defensive zone more than he does. This information did arrive before the Avalanche announced Johnson may miss two months."
With Johnson on the shelf for 3-8 weeks after undergoing a knee scope, Hejda's value to the Avalanche and head coach Patrick Roy may have increased exponentially.
Still, he's unlikely to stick with the team after this season and, upped value now or no, Roy and GM Joe Sakic may be better off getting what they can for the grizzled veteran instead of simply watching him walk away scot-free in the offseason.
