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Colorado Avalanche Prospect Tyson Jost Looks Ready for the NHL

By Ross Sellers

Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Tyson Jost poses for a photo after being selected as the number ten overall draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagra Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Tyson Jost poses for a photo after being selected as the number ten overall draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagra Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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Colorado Avalanche prospect Tyson Jost was dominant on Saturday night during the NCHC Conference Championship game, and he looks ready for the NHL.

The Colorado Avalanche need all the help they can get in their top six, and that help could be coming soon in the form of Tyson Jost.

Jost is certainly the top ranked prospect currently for the Avalanche, even if that status will change after the 2017 NHL Draft. Regardless, he is having a tremendous year in the NCAA this season, and looks ready to join the NHL.

During two conference playoff games on Friday and Saturday, Jost had four points (1g, 3a), and had a hand in every goal his team scored. He added an apple against the Denver University Pioneers to help lead North Dakota to a 1-0 upset no one predicted. And on Saturday night, he put three points up on the board in a losing effort to Minnesota-Duluth.

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The point is, the kid is gifted, and he now has 35 points (16g, 19a) in 32 games for UND this season. That’s good for second on the team in scoring, even though Jost has missed seven of UND’s games this year.

The video that proves his giftedness is right here:

Ridiculous…

He certainly looks ready for the NHL, yet that decision is ultimately up to him. Furthermore, it may be in the Avs’ best interest to let him have one more year of development at UND.

Then, he could join the NHL after what promises to be an even more dominant sophomore season. Jost would be that much more prepared to have an impact on the Avs in that case.

Should Tyson Jost Join the Avalanche Now, or Go Back to UND for One More Year?

At this point, I’m leaning toward the latter, but the Avs could definitely use his services next season.

Furthermore, Jost also made it very clear, in an interview with the Denver Post, shortly after he was drafted that his goal is to make it to the NHL:

"Right now I see myself playing one or two years at North Dakota. My ultimate goal, the reason I went to school was to develop as a player and ultimately get to the NHL and win a Stanley Cup. That’s the main reason I chose North Dakota is because they put players in the NHL and that’s my goal. If I work on a few details in my game and get bigger and stronger, I figure one or two years."

You heard it from the horse’s mouth folks, one or two years. So, as we quickly approach the end of his first year, it’s likely that the Avs find a way to get him on an entry-level contract soon.

However, is that the best decision for the Avalanche? Jost has certainly shown an ability to produce points, and a prowess on defense, but that does not mean the Avs should rush him to the NHL.

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Yes, it is ultimately Tyson Jost’s decision whether or not he chooses to join the Avalanche, but it is their decision whether or not they choose to approach him about a contract.

They will inevitably be in contact with him at the end his season, but it may be in their best interest to tell him to go back to UND for one more year.

Development is not something that can be rushed, and sometimes it pays to allow a player a bit more time.

Conclusion

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Tyson Jost in an Avs’ jersey to start next season. However, I would also like to see him come to the Avs ready to be impactful from the start.

Jonathan Toews played two years at UND, same with Zach Parise, and T.J. Oshie played for three seasons.

Related Story: Q and A About Tyson Jost with Grand Forks Herald Writer

Of those three players, only Zach Parise spent any time in the AHL. Development at UND is about making sure that the player is ready to join the NHL immediately, instead of spending time in the AHL.

At this point, if the Avs sign Jost after one season at UND it is because they feel he can contribute at the NHL level immediately. If they don’t believe that is the case, then I anticipate he’ll spend one more year at UND.

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His help is coming soon, but Avalanche fans might need to wait one more season. He looks NHL ready right now, and he probably is, but one more year of development would certainly not be bad for his NHL career.

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