Colorado Avalanche: 6 Selections for the Second Round
For the Colorado Avalanche, the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft is important. The team’s #40 draft pick will help develop the future of the Avs.
The Colorado Avalanche’s second-round draft pick is almost as important as their first draft pick. That may seem like an obvious statement — after all, the second round pick is the second-highest pick.
However, for the Avalanche, the second round selection is more important than it might be for many other teams. First of all, Colorado has a pick in the second round. The team had initially traded the pick to the San Jose Sharks in 2014 for defenseman Brad Stuart. That trade was unpopular at the time and became even more so as Stuart failed to live up to even low expectations.
The Avalanche re-acquired the second round pick the next summer by sending their second-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres (acquired in the Ryan O’Reilly trade) and a sixth-round pick in 2017. In return, the Avalanche got this second-round pick and one last year that they used to select left wing A.J. Greer.
Whes, these trades get complicated! Anyway, the other reason that this second round selection is so important to the Colorado Avalanche specifically is because their cupboards in the AHL are bare. After years of what head coach Patrick Roy called “drafting with no vision,” the Avs have a very shallow pool of prospects.
Therefore, Colorado needs to use their late-round draft selections to deepen the pool. That makes the second-round selection the first round for prospects. (I’m guessing their first-round pick at least has a chance to make the big team.)
With all of that in mind, let’s see who the Colorado Avalanche might select with their #40 draft pick.
Next: Libor Hajek
Libor Hajek
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height: 6‘2″
Weight: 196 pounds
Current Team: Saskatoon Blades, WHL
Probability for Success: 2-3 years development, third pairing
Libor Hajek is a skilled defenseman who just spent a year on a “rebuilding” team. What that means is, the team was bad, and Hajek saw a lot of action in his own end. He’s gotten a lot of practice corralling the puck in the defensive zone and moving it up the ice.
As such, Hajek has developed into a good puck-moving defenseman. He’s got the smooth skating typical of European-trained players. He may take a moment to accelerate, but when he does, he moves quickly up the ice.
Hajek is more of a shut-down defender with a little offensive upside. He’s the kind of defenseman who can help make plays rather than finish them himself. Because of his experience, he’s also developed good game-management and puck control skills.
Libor Hajek is ranked #31 for North American skaters by Central Scouting, so he should still be available in the second round.
Hajek has decent enough size for the Colorado Avalanche to consider him. Likewise, Colorado prizes skating speed. His ability to move the puck would be a boon for a team that spends too much time in its own end. I think the Avs could very well select Hajek with their #40 pick.
Next: Pascal Laberge
Pascal Laberge
Position: Center/Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 175 pounds
Current Team: Victoriaville Tigers, QMJHL
Probability for Success: 1-3 years development, third liner
Even though The Hockey Writers has forward Pascal Laberge listed in the #40 slot for their compiled rankings, I almost passed on the forward. He doesn’t display a lot of flash, so lots of teams may overlook him.
Luckily, I looked a little more closely at Laberge. He’d be good for the Colorado Avalanche because he’s solid on the forecheck. What’s more, he’s known for winning his battles along the boards, and head coach Patrick Roy loves players who win their battles.
Additionally, Laberge has shown the speed that’s central to Colorado’s style. He’s not a big finisher necessarily, but he’s an adept playmaker. He’s agile on skates and can get very creative with the puck.
Here’s Laberge in action:
Pascal Laberge needs to fill out his frame a little more for the NHL. He also needs to work on the defensive and physical sides of his play. He’d have to spend a couple years developing before he’d be ready for the pros. That said, he’s got the solid work ethic to make it. The Colorado Avalanche might look at Laberge for the second round.
Next: Frederic Allard
Frederic Allard
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 179 pounds
Current Team: Chicoutimi Saguenéens, QMJHL
Probability for Success: 2-3 years development, second pairing
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As with Laberge, I almost overlooked defenseman Frederic Allard, in this case due to his size. For the Colorado Avalanche, 6-foot-1, 179 pounds is a mite small for a defenseman. Plus, he’s a right-hand shot, and the system already has a few of those.
However, what made me include Allard in this list is his leadership value. You don’t often see prospects touted for their leadership abilities. However, Frederic is scouted as a player the younger guys look up to. He’s a real locker room guy. The Colorado Avalanche have a commitment to promoting good leadership players.
Besides that, Allard has shown good game management, which is another skill the team needs. He’s a player who can control the pace of the game. What’s more, he’s got a solid work ethic — which isn’t surprising for a leader.
Frederic Allard is a solid two-way player with good stick and skating mobility. He makes a good power play quarterback with an even-keel mentality. Honestly, I see him as a slightly taller Tyson Barrie.
I don’t know that the Colorado Avalanche want another Tyson Barrie right now, though, since they’re having some trouble with the original. That said, Allard might be a sleeper pick like Barrie was, so Colorado might be tempted to try again.
Next: Markus Niemelainen
Markus Niemelainen
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 189 pounds
Current Team: Saginaw Spirit, OHL
Probability for Success: 2-3 years development, third liner
Defenseman Markus Niemelainen is another big player, which is why I couldn’t resist including him in this list. Because the Colorado Avalanche do prize big defensemen.
Big players aren’t always the best skaters, and Niemelainen does need a little work in that area. However, he’s got an excellent stride with that height, and his reach helps make up for a somewhat lack in speed. He’s also very agile.
What’s more, Niemelainen is great at moving the puck out of the defensive zone. He’s a level-headed player who doesn’t make a lot of flashy plays, but he doesn’t cost his team either. He’s so good at shutting down the opposition, especially in his own end. That’s only going to increase as he packs the muscle on his tall frame.
As you can imagine, Niemelainen has a booming shot from the point. He’s not a very offensive-minded defenseman, but he can set up a play.
I think Markus Niemelainen might be a second choice for the Colorado Avalanche — meaning they’ll consider him if their first hope goes earlier on. That said, they’ll probably pick Niemelainen over a smaller defenseman such as Samuel Girard or Kale Clague.
Next: Evan Fitzpatrick
Evan Fitzpatrick
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 203 pounds
Current Team: Sherbrooke Phoenix, QMJHL
Probability for Success: 3-5 years development, possible eventual starter
The Colorado Avalanche have lost a couple goalies from their system recently — Roman Will most notably. While the team is still pretty stacked, Colorado may be looking to add a little more depth.
Evan Fitzpatrick is the top-rated goalie in the 2016 NHL draft. He’s been an All Star goalie in the QMJHL. He’s even been called a “young Roberto Luongo.” For the Colorado Avalanche, he’d be a Semyon Varlamov style of goalie — someone who displays flashes of brilliance but occasional inconsistency. He’s a goalie who can put his team on his back.
He’s also a hybrid goalie. I prefer the butterfly style, and I think the Colorado Avalanche do as well. However, Fitzpatrick shows quickness and strong technical skills. Even better — and here’s where he bests Varlamov — he’s very comfortable with big-game situations. He keeps a cool head, which is critical for a goalie.
As I learned from Ben Scrivens on The Player’s Tribune, size and athleticism aren’t necessarily how you scout goalies. That’s too bad, because Fitzpatrick has both. More importantly, according to Scrivens, Evan moves well laterally and is a good skater.
Here’s Evan doing his thing:
Goalies typically take longer to develop than skaters. That’s ok, because the Colorado Avalanche are stacked at the position at the NHL level. I’m really interested to see if the team would be willing to select Evan Fitzpatrick.
Next: Tage Thompson
Tage Thompson
Position: Center/Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 185 pounds
Current Team: University of Connecticut, NCAA
Probability for Success: 2-3 years development, second pairing
When I first researched forward Tage Thompson, I reacted the same way I did with Logan Brown: Holy moly, he’s big and good. Weirdly, Thompson is ranked anywhere from 24th (McKeen’s and The Hockey Writers) to 53 (The Sports Network). He’s ranked at #20 for North American skaters by Central Scouting.
Besides his size, I like a couple other things about Thompson. First of all, he just missed the cutoff for the 2015 draft, so he’s a mite older than his fellow prospects. He’s already got a full extra year of development under his belt, so he might be ready for the pros more quickly.
Here he is in action:
What’s more, Thompson is a skill player. He’s got good stick handling. His long stride makes him fast — which is always a plus for fitting in the Colorado Avalanche mold.
Of course, with that size Tage Thompson is also a physical player. He doesn’t take bad penalties — or even a lot of penalties. However, he’s no stranger to using his size and strength to his advantage. Thompson is definitely a power forward in the making — and one who could make a big impact eventually in the NHL.
Next: Avs Cleaning House at AHL Level
Because of his size and skill, I don’t think the Colorado Avalanche will be unable to resist Tage Thompson if he’s still available at #40. He’s also my prime pick for the team’s second-round selection.