From the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch:

The Colorado Avalanche have hit a Rocky Mountain low. And, the talk amongst league executives is the heat is on.

The Avs have been treading water for the past 13 months and they’ve started off this season with a lousy 4-9-1 record. If they don’t get their act together quickly then they’ll miss the playoffs for a second straight year under the guidance of General Manager Joe Sakic and VP of hockey operations/coach Patrick Roy.

The Avs have started this year the way last season finished and the word is Sakic has been calling around desperately trying to get help.

The club starts a seven-game road trip Tuesday in Philadelphia that will make or break their season when it wraps up Nov. 23 in Winnipeg.

Sources say the Avs badly want help on defence.

Continued with many more trade rumors..