Colorado Avalanche: Redrafting The 2008 NHL Draft

Round 5

Feb 26, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson (13) against the Montreal Canadiens at Nationwide Arena. The Canadiens 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

140th overall:
Colorado Avalanche pick — C Mark Olver
New pick —RW Cam Atkinson (157th to CBJ)

Mark Olver is similar to Kelsey Tessier in the regard that both are small centers with great hockey sense and vision. However, Olver made his way into the NHL and Tessier did not. Olver played his first NHL games in 2011 and split the following two seasons evenly between the Colorado Avalanche and Lake Erie Monsters. However, he had to spend the entire 2013-14 campaign in the AHL and then decided to move over to Russia.

Speaking of small forwards, we are selecting 5-foot-8 Cam Atkinson instead of Mark Olver. Atkinson needed a year longer to make his way into the NHL, but has been a regular for the past two seasons. Size was always a concern here, but Atkinson is proving that size is not everything. He has recorded 112 points in 219 games with the Blue Jackets so far.

Next: Round 6