The Colorado Avalanche might be considering signing some of the top NCAA free agents to bolster the team’s depth.
The Colorado Avalanche wants to get younger — GM Joe Sakic has been repeating that at every turn. The team has been picking up waiver claims and even made a couple trades toward that end.
The presumption is that the team might make a blockbuster trade but at the very least will work this year’s draft to keep up the rebuild. There’s also free agency.
In the past Colorado has often looked to Europe for undrafted free agents, picking up players such as Dennis Everberg, Borna Rendulic and the recently traded Andreas Martinsen. For the Avs, the college pool has largely been ignored.
However, as the old song goes, times are a-changing. While the team often looked to the major juniors in the past for draftees, they’ve picked up a couple college boys. Most notable is Tyson Jost as well as JT Compher.
As the college hockey season ends, players who went through two drafts but remain undrafted become eligible as free agent signings. This is perfect for those late bloomers or for those who fit a team’s specific mold.
For the Avalanche, that means looking at players who are young, speedy and more on the small side. Skill with skating and stick handling are highly prized.
Let’s look at four college players the Colorado Avalanche might be considering to fill the seemingly empty depth coffers.