Breaking just now:Colorado Avalanche recieve sad and terrifying news

The Colorado Avalanche reinforced their championship aspirations on Wednesday [6 March], acquiring Casey Mittelstadt and Sean Walker in separate trades with the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers.

Walker was acquired from the Flyers, with a conditional first-round pick in 2025, and Ryan Johanson sent to Philadelphia.

We believe [he will fit in that role],” he said. “I think he’s their leading scorer, but he’s got good hands. He’s a very good playmaking centre with really good vision. We think the last two years, his game has taken a jump.

“He’s gotten stronger with experience, and we think there might even be another level to his game. And we think we have a very good role for him. So, we’re excited to get him in the burgundy and blue and go from there.

Walker, a pending unrestricted free agent, will take Byram’s place on the blueline, with the Avalanche preparing for another Stanley Cup chase.

“It was certainly part of the equation,” MacFarland said when asked if Walker was acquired to replace Byram. “It would have been really, really hard to do, to move ‘Bo.’ It was hard to move Bo, period. He’s an amazing human being, and a great hockey player

So that’s one of the tougher things we’ve ever had to do. But definitely getting a really good defenseman in return was certainly part of the equation for us, yes.”

It’s become incredibly rare for teams to executive bona fide hockey trades, with the Sabres and Avalanche bucking the trend by swapping a forward for a defenceman