Before the dust had even settled on the Avalanche’s 2016 draft class, the team made a move, sending defenseman Nick Holden to the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2017 4th round pick.
Holden was first acquired via free agency in the summer of 2013 and after sitting as the team’s 7th defenseman for the first third of the season, established himself as a permanent fixture on the Avalanche blueline. The trade ends a three year tenure for Nick Holden, during which he was a staple on Patrick Roy’s roster and earned regular time in the team’s Top 4 defensive rotation.