The Colorado Avalanche moved on from Ivan Ivan on Saturday—but the deal was about far more than just a name.
In a one-for-one trade with the Boston Bruins, Colorado acquired former 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell, a once-hyped offensive winger still trying to turn prospect pedigree into consistent NHL production. In return, the Avalanche parted ways with Ivan, a depth forward who carved out an NHL role after arriving to the organization as an undrafted free agent.
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For Colorado, it’s a bet on untapped upside. For Boston, it’s a swap for reliability.
Lysell arrives in Denver after spending most of last season with the Providence Bruins, where he put together 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points in 57 AHL games. He was a key contributor on a Providence team that finished with the league’s best regular-season record and claimed the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, finishing sixth on the roster in scoring and fifth in both goals and assists.
Across four seasons in the AHL, the 23-year-old Swedish winger has been productive, totaling 57 goals and 106 assists for 163 points in 219 games with Providence. At the NHL level, he has appeared in 12 games for Boston in the 2024-25 season, recording one goal and adding two assists.
His track record before turning pro reinforced the offensive projection. With the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in 2021–22, Lysell posted 62 points in 53 games and then elevated his game in the playoffs with 21 points in 12 contests, leading the league with 17 assists during that run.
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Originally selected 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell also developed through Luleå HF in Sweden’s SHL after coming up in Frölunda’s junior system. On the international stage, he has represented Sweden twice at major tournaments, earning bronze at both the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Ivan’s path looks very different.
Signed by Colorado in March 2024 after going undrafted, he worked his way into 49 NHL games with the Avalanche, producing five goals and four assists while establishing himself as a steady, energy-driven bottom-six presence. He also logged extensive time with the Colorado Eagles, recording 25 goals and 44 assists across 169 AHL appearances. That should have been enough to graduate to the NHL level but with his contract now complete the Avalanche were at a crossroads with him.
The move ultimately comes down to projection versus production. Colorado is wagering that Lysell’s offensive toolkit still hasn’t fully translated at the NHL level, while Boston adds a player whose role and identity are already defined. Both are Restricted Free Agents but with Lysell coming off his Entry Level Contract he does not hold arbitration rights like Ivan does. Clearly Colorado’s strategy is to hope one of these 2021 first round picks (along with Fyodor Svechkov and Zach L’Heureux) stick hoping another organization’s development will pay off for them.
