A familiar face is coming back to Colorado.
The Avalanche picked up veteran forward Matt Nieto and defenseman Ryan Merkley in a trade that sent forward Martin Kaut and defenseman Jacob MacDonald to the San Jose Sharks, the team announced Wednesday night.
Nieto spent parts of four seasons with the Avs after being claimed off waivers on Jan. 5, 2017, then signed with the Sharks as a free agent prior to the 2020-21 season in his second stint with the franchise. He’s accumulated 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 45 games this season for the Sharks, and will add depth to a forward group that has been beset by injuries throughout the season.