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Breaking: Colorado deals Kurtis MacDermid to Devils

Dec 17, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Kyle Burroughs (4) defends against Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kurtis MacDermid (56) in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

We are officially a week away from the NHL trade deadline, and the Colorado Avalanche have made a move, albeit a small one. Kurtis MacDermid is headed to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick and the rights to forward Zakhar Bardakov.

MacDermid has only appeared in 29 games for the Avalanche this season, ultimately ending up with two goals. The 29-year-old carried a cap hit of $987,500 for the 2023-2024 season, so Colorado will free up just under $1 million after this move.

As for Zakhar Bardakov, the 23-year-old forward has yet to play a game in the NHL. New Jersey initially drafted him in the seventh-round of the 2021 entry draft. He is currently playing in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg, which just so happens to be the team that Nikolai Kovalenko and the Torpedo are facing in the KHL playoffs. Bardakov ultimately played 51 games during the KHL regular season, finishing with six goals and six assists for a total of 12 points.

Given this move, it’s hard not to wonder if something else is on the horizon. This move frees up a roster spot for the Avalanche and about an extra $1 million worth of cap space. That certainly gives you more flexiblility than you previously had to go and trade for another roster player, if that’s your goal ahead of the deadline. There is still plenty of time to get whatever business done that you might want to before March 8, so we’ll see what the following week brings for the Avs.