COYLE, MITTELSTADT SWAP TEAMS

The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Charlie Coyle and a fifth-round draft pick in 2026 from the Boston Bruins for center Casey Mittelstadt, forward Will Zellers and a second-round draft pick in 2025.

What does it give the Colorado Avalanche
Coyle is a two-way forward who has been playing right wing in Boston, but is a natural center. He adds secondary and tertiary scoring to the Avalanche and another big body. His $5.25 million cap hit runs through 2025-26 and he had to agree to a move to Colorado (which he decided to do) due to his no-movement clause.

What does it give the Boston Bruins
The Bruins are retooling on the fly here, so adding Mittelstadt makes a lot of sense. He is a far more accomplished offensive player than Coyle, and Boston knows him well from his time with the division-rival Buffalo Sabres. Zellers is a young prospect headed to the University of North Dakota next year, while the second-rounder is a bonus.

Fantasy impact
Mittelstadt should get an opportunity to fill a second-line center role in Boston, so his value could be on the rise after this trade. Coyle will probably not play top-six forward minutes in Colorado, so his stock is dipping after this deal. Zellers is a few years away from being on the fantasy hockey radar.