Nine games. Maybe this is how long the Vladislav Namestnikov experiment lasts with the Colorado Avalanche before he moves on in free agency.



Or it is possible this was a prelude of what is to come?



The Avalanche have gone from the worst season in the salary-cap era to a borderline playoff team and into a Stanley Cup contender in four years. Reaching that stage meant developing players from within such as Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen. Another facet of those changing circumstances can be linked to the external moves such as free-agent signings or trades.



Determining what Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and his front office staff will do with Namestnikov could fall somewhere in the middle.



Sakic parted with a 2021 fourth-round draft pick on deadline day to acquire Namestnikov from the Ottawa Senators. Getting Namestnikov created the hypothetical that the Avalanche were receiving a two-way forward who could...