With the NHL trade deadline looming on March 5 following the Winter Olympic break, many names have been potentially put on the trading block, and the latest mumblings in the rumor mill surround Colorado Avalanche forward P.A. Parenteau.
According to CBS Sports, Parenteau's name has been circulated in trade rumors as of late and the fact that he was held out of the lineup when the Avalanche defeated the Stars 4-3 in Dallas Monday night has added to the speculation that he could be on the move.
Parenteau is currently playing out the second year of a four-year deal with Colorado and he will make $4 million annually, a contract that could easily be picked up by a team that is willing to strike a deal with the Avalanche.
The fact that he has two more seasons on his contract after this season would also be an attractive option for a potential suitor as they won't have to worry about him leaving their team if they make a deal.
Parenteau is falling behind on his usual pace for production, having put up just 26 points in 41 games off of nine goals and 17 assists. In the 2013 lockout-shortened NHL season, Parenteau appeared in 48 games and put up 43 points off of 18 tallies and 25 helpers while in his last full season in the league he played in 80 games and went 18-49-67 while playing with the New York Islanders.
Parenteau has seen his playing time diminish since returning from an MCL sprain, as his role as a top-six forward has slipped away due to the girth of young talent that the Avs possess, and he has found himself in roles on the third and fourth line rather than one of the top two combinations.
The Avalanche got off to a hot start to the season and are 33-14-5 with 71 points and find themselves in third place in the highly-competitive Central Division, good enough for fifth in the Western Conference.
One potential landing spot for Parenteau, a Quebec native, may be the Montreal Canadiens, according to CBS Sports, however according to the report the Habs turned down a deal that would have landed them Parenteau in exchange for Rene Bourque straight up.
Parenteau doesn't have a no-trade clause on his deal. He was drafted in the ninth round (264th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in 2001, but has never played for them. He's had stints with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, the Islanders, and then he ended up in Colorado leading into the 2013 season.
Parenteau, 30, has appeared in 277 games and has 68 career goals to go along with 130 assists for 198 points.
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