The Colorado finally got into the deadline action, filling a middle-six centre void with the acquisition of Lars Eller. In return, they paid in their favourite currency – a 2^nd round pick. Overall, an excellent return for the Capitals, regardless of the salary retention.

What the Avalanche Get:

A responsible third-line centre who can raise his game in the playoffs, and their head coach shares that sentiment:

Eller should slot in without disrupting the top-six for the Avalanche, and shift Alex Newhook to the wing on the third line (subsequently pushing Andrew Cogliano down). Newhook will benefit from a better player on his line, and Eller goes to a better team where he won't have to start in the defensive end quite as often.

What the Capitals Get:

A good draft pick return in exchange for another pending RFA. Conor Sheary, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Craig Smith, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel are the remaining UFAs. If the past is any indication of the future, the odds are good that at least a couple of them are either re-signed immediately, or traded by the deadline.

They also get an open roster space to give Aliaksei Protas some additional ice time. Nic Dowd will likely take on some of Eller's more difficult minutes as well, though Protas has shown himself as a capable defensive centre, so regardless that they might be defensive starts, the extra ice time can only help his production.

Players this helps:

Lars Eller

Aliaksei Protas

Alex Newhook

Players this hurts:

Andrew Cogliano