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With Avs’ playoff hopes dwindling, is it time to start selling?

Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy

Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic, left, and head coach Patrick Roy watch players during the first day of NHL hockey training camp Thursday, Sept. 19, 2014, in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

AP

Here’s the deal for the Colorado Avalanche. To make the playoffs, they’ll need to go in the neighborhood of 17-6-4 in their final 27 games. And the way the team is playing, that’s very unlikely to happen.

“Our confidence is not there, no doubt about it,” coach Patrick Roy said, per the Denver Post, in the wake of last night’s loss to the Rangers, the fourth straight defeat in regulation for the Avs.

“It’s my job to remain patient and continue to practice it and hopefully, eventually it will turn and help us to win some hockey games.”

And it’s the job of management to face reality leading up to the March 2 trade deadline.

Veteran defenseman Jan Hejda, a pending unrestricted free agent, is a player that could be turned into a draft pick or prospect. Forward Danny Briere is another pending UFA, though his trade value is minimal.

Of course, forward Ryan O’Reilly would make a good addition to a playoff team. However, he’s a more complicated situation. If the Avs are really going to trade the 24-year-old, his contract status (can’t sign an extension until July 1) may make that more likely in the offseason.