The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has acquired forward Yakov Trenin and the rights to unsigned draft pick Graham Sward from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and Colorado’s 2025 third-round draft pick.
Trenin, 27, skated in 60 contests with Nashville in 2023-24 and registered 14 points (10g/4a). The forward ranks third on the team in hits (171) and shares the Predators-lead with a +12 rating.
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound forward has collected 79 points (46g/33a) in 283 career regular-season games with Nashville from 2019-24. He tied his career high with 24 points (12g/12a) last season and set personal bests in assists and scored his first two career shorthanded tallies. Trenin has also skated in 10 career Stanley Cup Playoffs outings, amassing five points (5g/0a) while appearing in every game for the Predators over their last two postseason runs.
The Chelyabinsk, Russia, native’s professional career also includes 21 games with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg club in 2020-21 where he recorded seven points (4g/3a). He spent parts of the 2015-20 seasons with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, accumulating 87 points (40g/47a) in 155 regular-season games. Trenin recorded 35 points (20g/15a) in 32 appearances during the 2019-20 season leading to his selection to the AHL All-Star Game.
Internationally, Trenin represented his country at the 2017 World Junior Championship, helping Russia capture the bronze medal.
Sward, 20, is playing for the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild where he’s posted 73 points (15g/58a) over 58 games as an alternate captain. The Abbotsford, British Columbia native ranks among WHL defensemen leaders in assists (2nd), points (2nd) and goals (T-4th) for a Wild team that clinched a spot in the 2024 WHL playoffs.
The 6-foot-3, 191-pound blueliner has spent parts of the last six seasons in the WHL, recording 172 points (33g/139a) in 242 regular-season games for the Spokane Chiefs and Wild franchises. He’s added 13 points (3g/10a) in 22 WHL playoff games which includes 2g/10a in a 19-game playoff run to the WHL Finals in 2023.
Sward was drafted by the Predators in the fifth round (146th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Hanzel was selected in the sixth round (187th overall) by the Avalanche in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 21-year-old is playing for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds this season.
