Avalanche NHL Draft: Colorado Missed Out in 2003

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Trade-Off

Oct 25, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene (9) takes a shot on goal in the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The premise of this post is that the Colorado Avalanche hadn’t traded away their first-round draft pick for 2003. Either they would have had to give up something else for Rob Blake or give up having Rob Blake. (Naturally, the front offices couldn’t know in 2001 how talented the 2003 draft would be.) And Blake was part of that team that brought the Stanley Cup to Colorado for the second time.

However, even if the Avs could’ve kept both Rob Blake and their first round draft pick, selecting one of the above players may have had ramifications down the road. Just as those players were gaining steam is when the Avs took a nose dive. Imagine if having Perry, Bergeron, Weber or Backes on the team would have kept them just enough above water the Avalanche NHL draft in 2009 would not have been pick #3. No Matt Duchene.

That’s a scary prospect. I certainly wouldn’t put any one of those players over Duchene in terms of importance for the Avalanche.

Still… if only…

Next: Should the Avs Trade Up in the 2015 Draft?

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