CLOCK TICKS DOWN; NO TRADES SO FAR
Avs stars Landeskog, Duchene wait, wonder about their futures
As the Avalanche headed to Philadelphia on Monday, nothing had happened on the trade front.
That might change over the next couple of days, leading up to the 1 p.m. Wednesday NHL trading deadline. But it might not.
Among those the Avalanche are listening to offers for, or will listen to offers for, are Gabe Landeskog, the Swedish captain who repeated Saturday that he wanted to stay with Colorado, and Matt Duchene. The Avalanche went through a full practice Monday morning before heading to the airport for the chartered flight to Philadelphia, where Colorado will face the Flyers on Tuesday night.
“I have no control over anything,” Duchene said. “Just whatever happens, happens. I don’t know what’s coming. But we’ll see. Obviously, I’m prepared for anything, but right now I’m just focusing on getting to Philly tonight and preparing for the game tomorrow.”
Duchene said he “absolutely” will be relieved when the trading deadline passes.
“It’s hard to look past three days right now,” he said. “I can’t really look past that because I just don’t know where I’m going to be.”
He also reiterated that he wanted to stay with the Avalanche, but added a kicker.
“Yeah,” Duchene said. “I mean, I want to win. Whatever it takes for that to happen, that’s what I want. That’s my answer, I guess.”
But that wasn’t definitive, was it?
“I mean, it’s out of my control,” he said. “I’ve made clear my opinion in the past, and that’s kind of the way it’s staying.”
A few feet away in the dressing room, Landeskog said of the deadline: “I don’t know how many hours we have left. Hopefully, these next couple of days will go by quick, and I think all we can really focus on is Philly and how we prepare for that game. …
“It’s easier said than done, but at the same time, I mean, I don’t read much, I don’t watch much, and really the only things I really hear are things people text or call me about. Usually, my family and closest friends know not to do that unless it’s really important. So really, I’m not in the loop much, I don’t read that stuff. To me, it’s more outside noise as far as rumors go. If something was to go down, I’m sure I’d hear about it.”
Another member of the Avs’ six-man “core,” center Nathan MacKinnon, has been labeled untouchable by general manager Joe Sakic.
But even untouchables have been traded in this league.
“Honestly, I’m just focusing on Philly,” he said of the approaching deadline. “They said that, but anybody could be traded, for sure.”
MacKinnon said the looming deadline “honestly really hasn’t been a distraction until today, maybe tomorrow. It’s kind of the elephant in the room. It’s lingering. It’s a couple of days away and unfortunately, whether guys get traded or not, it (stinks), but when you’re in last place, I’m sure things will change.”
After the deadline, Colorado faces the Senators on Thursday and the Jets at Winnipeg on Saturday.