Colorado Avalanche make minor league deal with Senators

The trade deadline is fast approaching — and while Colorado Avalanche fans were likely hoping for something a bit more substantial, general manager Joe Sakic has made his first little move to get things going.

The Avalanche acquired 26-year-old forward Max McCormick from the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday morning, sending fellow forward Jean-Christophe Beaudin north of the border in the deal.

McCormick comes to Colorado with 14 NHL games under his belt this season, so it’s possible that the former Ohio State standout — whom the Senators picked up as a sixth-round draft pick in 2011 out of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers — was brought on board to give the team a little bit more flexibility with recalls and pro experience. He picked up just one goal in those 14 games, but has ultimately managed to amass six goals and 10 points in total over 71 career games so far.

Beaudin, on the other hand, will head to the Senators with less experience, but with significantly more time to develop and improve. A third-round draft selection in 2015, the 21-year-old has 13 points in 42 AHL games this year after a bit of a slow start in the pro game last year. He was sent down to the ECHL for the majority of the 2016-17 campaign, but after putting up 27 points in 30 games in Colorado en route to their Kelly Cup win in the spring (and putting up 18 points in 22 postseason games for the Eagles, to boot) he earned a full-time look at the AHL this year. So far, he hasn’t quite been as productive as McCormick (who has put up 12 points in 20 AHL games) but given his upward trajectory could continue to improve in the coming years for Ottawa.

The move is indicative of where both teams are right now — the Avalanche need more NHL experience and a freed-up contract space this summer, while the Senators need some more long-term projects — but the move isn’t likely to tilt the needle too much in either direction.