Avalanche acquire center Yakov Trenin from Predators

After Jeff Hawkins of The Sports Daily reported earlier today that the Colorado Avalanche acquired center Casey Mittlestadt in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres (for defenseman Bowen Byram) and acquired defenseman Sean Walker in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers (for centre Ryan Johansen in a transaction involving draft picks) on Wednesday, the Avalanche made a third trade in the last 24 hours on Thursday. The Avalanche have picked up center Yakov Trenin of Chelyabinsk, Russia from the Nashville Predators with prospect defenseman Graham Sward of Abbotsford, British Columbia for prospect defenseman Jeremy Hanzel of Coquitlam, British Columbia and a third round pick in the 2025 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Yakov Trenin

Trenin has played the last five seasons with the Predators. In 2023-24, he had 10 goals and four assists for 14 points in 60 games. Trenin was a +12 with 38 penalty minutes, two game-winning goals, one shorthanded point, 94 shots on goal, 22 faceoff wins, 26 blocked shots, 171 hits, 35 takeaways, and 29 giveaways.

Trenin’s first game-winning goal of the season ironically came in a 4-3 Predators win over the Colorado Avalanche on November 20. Trenin scored from forward Cole Smith of Brainerd, Minnesota with 22 seconds left in the contest to break a 3-3 deadlock.

Trenin’s second game-winning goal of the season came in a 2-1 Predators win over the Buffalo Sabres on December 3. Trenin scored from Colton Sissons of North Vancouver, British Columbia and Smith at 10:54 of the first period, which gave Nashville a 2-0 lead at the time.

The Prospects

Sward did not play with the Predators this season, and neither did Hanzel for the Avalanche. He was Nashville’s fifth round pick, 146th overall, in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.  In 58 games with the Wenatchee Wild of the Western Hockey League, Sward has 15 goals and 58 assists for 73 points. Hanzel was Colorado’s sixth round pick, 187th overall, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. In 58 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, Hanzel had 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points.