The Avalanche’s Plan B could be Rickard Rakell, the Swedish forward with the Ducks. Or perhaps Colorado goes for fellow pending unrestricted free-agent forwards in Max Domi of the Blue Jackets or Nick Paul of the Senators.
Rakell is the most proven NHL scorer among the trio. Domi is the feistiest among the group. And Paul (6-foot-3 and 225 pounds) is the biggest.
The Avs might pursue them and other potential “rentals” before Monday’s NHL trade deadline after losing out on Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux. The Flyers forward was the big fish in the pending free-agent pond and Colorado was in the hunt.