The Nashville Predators did their best to pry Chris MacFarland away from the Colorado Avalanche. They successfully managed it by offering much more than any other organization would have.
Now, MacFarland’s first move as Preds’ GM is to land an Avalanche fan favorite. We’re talking about Ross Colton, of course.
MacFarland knew that the first guy to go this offseason was going to be Colton. There’s no doubt that fact was evident during this offseason. Since the incumbent Predators’ GM knew this deal was in the works, why not pounce on the situation?
And so he did.
For Nashville, this is a savvy move. They get a versatile forward, who’s been on a downward trajectory, unfortunately. The 29-year-old posted career lows in goals and points this past season. He went from playing a predominantly middle-six role to pulling fourth-line duty at times.
This past season, in fact, was the second-straight season Colton’s numbers dipped since a career-high of 40 points in 2023-24. That backwardation could have been the result of the decline in his playing time. In 2024-25, Colton averaged 14:25. His ice time dropped to 12:31 this season.
Be that as it may, the Avs got a decent haul for Colton. MacFarland knew the Avs weren’t going to do better than the two third-rounders they got. As a cap-dump move, it’s quite tough that the Avs would have gotten more than they did.
Hoping for a second-rounder, for instance, would have been wishful thinking. The good news is that the Avalanche now have an additional third-rounder this season. Whether the club uses that pick or packages it off is another story.
Avalanche and Predators swap young goalies
The goalie swap is likely a depth move on the Predators’ part. Isak Posch, who backed up Trent Miner with the Colorado Eagles, could very well take over in the AHL for Nashville.
The other piece, Magnus Chrona, played mostly a backup role with the Milwaukee Admirals. His current contract is up, and so the Avs will likely re-sign him, potentially keeping him in the AHL or perhaps even moving him to the ECHL, if possible.
Posch will get the chance to play meaningful hockey in the AHL and potentially compete for the backup job to Juuse Saros. That might not be quite so easy, as another former Avalanche goalie, Justus Annunen, is firmly entrenched as the Preds’ backup.
Posch is insurance, and should give Nashville a little more depth in their overall organizational goalie chart.
Overall, the deal shouldn’t come as a surprise. Colton’s imminent departure was in the cards for a while. It also shouldn’t be surprising that it was Nashville who pounced. Let’s see if the Preds don’t try to pry away another piece from Colorado.
