Breakaway on SI

Blue Jackets Acquire Veteran Forward from Avalanche

The Columbus Blue Jackets bolster their depth via a trade with the Colorado Avalanche.

Jon Alfano

Apr 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Charlie Coyle (10) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche in game two of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Apr 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Charlie Coyle (10) in action during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche in game two of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick and forward prospect Gavin Brindley, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.

Coyle, 33, is in the final year of a six-year, $31.5 million contract ($5.25 average annual value) that he signed with the Boston Bruins in 2019.

The Avalanche acquired Coyle from the Bruins at the trade deadline, but unfortunately, the fit wasn't there. While he put up solid numbers in the regular season, scoring two goals and 13 points in 19 games with Colorado, he only had one goal in the Avalanche's seven-game loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round.

Wood, 29, scored just four goals and eight points in 37 games for the Avalanche this year, and did not score in his lone playoff appearance. He has four years left on his deal at a $2.5 million cap hit.

With Colorado recently extending Brock Nelson, another trade deadline acquisition, Coyle and Woods' salaries were likely too much for bottom-six roles. The Avalanche gained $7.75 million in cap space from this trade, giving themselves much-needed flexibility ahead of the draft and free agency..

Columbus, meanwhile, is swimming in cap space with $32.7 million to work with even after this trade. The Blue Jackets surpassed all expectations this season and only barely missed the playoffs, so it makes some sense to make a push this offseason.

Coyle is still a solid forward, and is just one year removed from posting a career-high 25 goals and 60 points with Boston in 2023-24. He should be a solid addition for Columbus, both on the ice and in the locker room. While he's coming off a rough season, Wood could do the same.

Brindley, 20, was the No. 34 overall pick by the Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Draft. He scored six goals and 17 assists in 52 games this season with the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus' AHL affiliate.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

Published |Modified
Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Jon is a lead writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI and contributes to other sites around the network as well. The Tampa native previously worked with sites such as ClutchPoints and GiveMeSport and earned his journalism degree at the University of Central Florida.

Home/News Feed Page