from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic,

All of which brings us to one obvious suitor when it comes to a potential trade for O’Reilly, Horvat or Toews: Colorado.

The reigning Stanley Cup champion Avalanche lost No. 2 center Nazem Kadri to the Flames in free agency this past summer, and I’m convinced they will try to go out and replace him — even if just for this year’s playoffs — closer to the March 3 trade deadline.

O’Reilly, Horvat and Toews would all be good fits on Colorado’s second line.

Horvat would be the most expensive acquisition, to be sure, but it’s worth pointing out that the Avs do still have their first-round pick for the June NHL Draft. (The Canucks would surely want a first-round pick as part of a bigger package.)

Toews, by virtue of his full no-move, limits Chicago’s ability to manufacture a true market, so he’s likely the cheapest to acquire, asset-wise, although someone has to pay an asset for the third-party broker to get involved.

A healthy Sean Monahan (also a pending UFA) from Montreal could be another option for Colorado.

But if I were Avs GM Chris MacFarland and were looking to bolster my lineup for a chance to repeat, O’Reilly and Toews are the two guys I’d zero in on closer to March 3 — two captains who have won and understand what it takes come playoff time.

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