Carl Soderberg: Acquired By Colorado

Colorado acquired Soderberg from the Bruins in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Thursday.

Analysis:

The Bruins had already made it quite clear that, due to their tough salary cap situation, Soderberg was unlikely to return to the team next season. Soderberg is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, so the Avs essentially traded a sixth-round pick for the chance to be the first team to enter contract negotiations with the 29-year-old center. He's likely in for a nice payday, as Soderberg's been a key contributor for the Bruins in a bottom-six role over the past two seasons. Ryan Spooner will likely fill the vacancy at center in the Bruins' lineup in 2015-16, while Soderberg's acquisition by the Avalanche likely foreshadows a trade of Ryan O'Reilly.