When the Capitals traded forward Andre Burakovsky to the Colorado Avalanche, they fulfilled an obligation to the 24-year-old that was four-plus months in the making.
Before the Feb. 25 trade deadline this past season, as the Caps were acquiring the necessary pieces to make another run for the Stanley Cup, Burakovsky, facing a diminished role and ice time, had requested a trade.
"We pursued it at the deadline, but it would have had to be a home run then," Caps GM Brian MacLellan tells Mike Vogel. "We would have had to bring back a player at that point. To trade him for picks at the deadline didn't make any sense when we were trying to put together a playoff run."
Burakovsky wanted to be traded to a team that would let him play in a top-six role, according to Vogel.
"Had the player not requested the trade," MacLellan said, "I would have preferred to keep him in that third-line role for this season."
Burakovsky got his wish on Friday. He now joins former Stanley Cup teammate Philipp Grubauer – who was traded by the Caps last offseason – in Colorado.
Andre noooooo pic.twitter.com/zgBwvF1E84
— RMNB (@russianmachine) June 28, 2019In return, the Caps receive two draft picks – a second- and third-rounder – in the 2020 NHL Draft, along with pending unrestricted free agent forward Scott Kosmachuk.
Thanks for all the great times, Burkie!Best of luck and see you soon. pic.twitter.com/0nQMl70RxR
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) June 28, 2019
