Morning Flurries: Assets don’t grow on trees

All Avalanche

• The Avalanche were busy over the weekend conducting a set of moves to shore up their organizational depth. First, perennial prospect Shane Bowers was moved for a depth goaltender in Keith Kinkaid from the Boston Bruins. For now the move only has AHL implications. [Mile High Hockey]
• Also, while they were in transaction mode the club signed Colorado Eagles defenseman Keaton Middleton to a two-year two-way contract extension. He has not seen any NHL action this season and the signing just helps get an arbitration eligible RFA off the to-do list for the summer.

• With less than a week to go until the famed NHL trade deadline The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun conducted his annual GM check-in and spoke with Colorado Avalanche boss Chris MacFarland about what else might be coming down the pike.

“There’s never a guarantee that you’re going to win, but fortunately our guys were able to find a way to get that done. But second-round picks and top prospects don’t grow on trees. You have a finite number of them. That’s the reality. We’ve got to be mindful of that in trying to find ways to improve the team but also being mindful of the cupboard for future years as well.”

MacFarland went on to say that he’s not looking for any specific position for help but also that one can never have enough defenseman. After grabbing their depth forwards and now a goaltender with the minor transactions already conducted it feels like an extra defenseman may be the only item left on the shopping list.

• JT Compher joined NHL tonight to give his thoughts on the season thus far and some reminiscing on winning the Stanley Cup.