Colorado Avalanche: Top 5 Draft Picks, not Coming to the Avs

GUELPH, ON - JANUARY 25: Filip Zadina #11 of Team Cherry skates against Team Orr in the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game at the Sleeman Centre on January 25, 2018 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Team Cherry defeated Team Orr 7-4. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
GUELPH, ON - JANUARY 25: Filip Zadina #11 of Team Cherry skates against Team Orr in the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game at the Sleeman Centre on January 25, 2018 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Team Cherry defeated Team Orr 7-4. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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BUFFALO, NY – DECEMBER 29: Brady Tkachuk #7 of United States during the IIHF World Junior Championship at New Era Field against Canada on December 29, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. The United States beat Canada 4-3. (Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images)

Brady Tkachuk

2017-18 Team: Boston University, NCAA
Date of Birth: September 16, 1999 (18 years old)
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 196 pounds
Position: Left wing
Shoots: Left

Brady Tkachuk is even a little bit older than Zadina and has an even better hockey pedigree. He’s the son of left wing Keith Tkachuk, who played for years in the NHL (usually wearing a C or A). Brother Matthew Tkachuk currently plays for the Calgary Flames.

Maybe that’s why Brady Tkachuk is another 200-foot player. He’s a big boy, and that size gives him a definite fearlessness for the dirty areas. Needless to say, he plays a gritty, power forward style reminiscent of his family.

Tkachuk isn’t going to wow you with elite stickhandling and skating, but he’s excellent in close — he’s got the hands and hockey IQ to punch rebounds into the net.

I don’t see Tkachuk fitting too well with the Senators or Canadiens — I’m guessing he’s probably Arizona-bound. If for some reason Tkachuk doesn’t go top-five, the Detroit Red Wings are sure to snap him up at #6.