Colorado gets a really solid left defenseman in Murray, who is buried on Columbus' depth chart because of the Blue Jacket's strength on the left side of their defense with Werenski and, Johnson, and Nutivaara emerging. Murray will immediately step into the top-four for Colorado, probably along side Erik Johnson. They also get a skilled scoring right winger in Bjorkstrand. The Avalanche are weak at right wing, but adding the 21 year old will solidify their future top two lines.

Columbus gets a versatile top-six forward in Duchene. He can play center or wing, which will be helpful when Pierre-Luc Dubois comes along. You can count on him for 20+ goals and 50+ points every year, and he can play in any situation. He'll be a really good addition to a young Jackets team that is on the rise and ready to win now.

The Avalanche add a solid defensive prospect who should be ready to step in to the NHL pretty soon. He could pair nicely with another 2013 second round pick, Chris Bigras, and take some defensive pressure off of Tyson Barrie on the right side. He's been in some hot water with Caps management this year, so they may be more open to moving him. Ironically in this case it's to Colorado.

Colorado also sends their 2017 sixth round pick to Washington
Grigorenko is a tremendously skilled player who has struggled to get his footing in the NHL. He was probably Colorado's most improved player last season from the beginning to the end of the season, as he was reunited with his junior coach Patrick Roy. But since Roy resigned, Grigorenko has struggled in the Avs' new system. At just 22 years old,, the former first rounder could have more success with a high-skill team like Washington, and should be more comfortable with several of his countrymen in the locker room (Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Burakovsky, etc.), and could be a less expensive top-nine replacement forward if Williams and/or Oshie depart in free agency.

Vancouver sends a 2017 third round pick to Colorado
Hutton is a solid two-way defenseman with a bright NHL future. The Canucks' defensive group is starting to get crowded, with veterans Edler Tanev, and Gudbranson, youngsters Stecher and Tryamkin, and blue-chip prospect Joulevi. Hutton could be the odd man out. He would have ample opportunity to play a big role on a thin blue line in Colorado.

With 36 year-old Ryan Miller's contract expiring at the end of this season, and Jacob Markstrom struggling to establish himself as the NHL stud scouts once thought he could be, the Canucks may be in need of a starting goaltender. Varlamov has had his share of struggles since he was a Vezina finalist in 2013-14. To his credit, he's had little help from the Avalanche defense. Playing behind the Canucks' solid blue line and stout defensive system could bring out the star goaltender of a few years ago. The Canucks will have the cap space to take on Varlamov's contract, with Miller's $6M and Alex Burrows' $4.5M coming of the books. Vancouver will be able to let Varlamov play out the last two years of his contract while young Thatcher Demko continues to develop, and then make a decision on the future of their goaltending.