The Colorado Avalanche brought an old friend back into the mix when they traded for two-way forward and fan-favorite Matt Nieto from the San Jose Sharks.

Nieto played parts of four seasons with Colorado before returning to the Sharks for the 2020-21 season. San Jose originally drafted Nieto in the second round (47th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Nieto had 81 points (34g 47a) in 251 games with the Avalanche between 2016 and 2020. The 30-year-old winger scored a career-high 15 goals with the Avs in 2017-18. Nieto joins a Colorado team on the verge of breaking out following a slow first half.

Along with Nieto, Colorado acquired defenseman, Ryan Merkley.

San Jose gets Jacob MacDonald and prospect forward Martin Kaut.

Nieto helps bolster Colorado's penalty kill which currently ranks 20th in the league at 76.9%.

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The trade comes as Colorado is starting to get healthy again and they are in the midst of a season-long six-game win streak. The addition of Nieto gives coach Jared Bednar some more depth to work with; especially since the 'Avs have been dealing with a carousel of injuries all season.

Thanks to this hot stretch, Colorado's jumped up to third in the Central Division with 55 points. They trail first-place Dallas by 10 points but have four games in hand.

Cale Makar is expected to return to the lineup against Anaheim. Meanwhile, John Manson, Denis Malgin, and Bowen Byram are getting closer to returning to action.

The Stanley Cup Champions are getting healthy and rounding back into form just in time for the stretch run. I believe it's time for the rest of the league to take notice.

Thanks for reading,
Steve

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