Colorado Avalanche: Top 5 Draft Picks, not Coming to the Avs
Though the Colorado Avalanche will not get to see any of the following players in burgundy and blue, let’s look at the top-five NHL prospects.
The Colorado Avalanche will not get a top-five draft pick. Not only did the team finish too high in the standings — even earning a playoff berth — but the Ottawa Senators have announced they’re keeping their fourth-overall this season. Colorado will get their first rounder next season in fulfillment of the Matt Duchene trade.
As always, we’ll spend a few weeks before the June 22-23 draft profiling potential draft picks. Because the Avalanche are going to choose somewhere in the #16 range, there’s no way one of the top-five picks will fall to them. So, we’re not going to spend too much time on what will never be.
Here’s the draft order thus far:
| 1. Buffalo Sabres |
| 2. Carolina Hurricanes (from No. 11) |
| 3. Montreal Canadiens (from No. 4) |
| 4. Ottawa Senators |
| 5. Arizona Coyotes |
| 6. Detroit Red Wings |
| 7. Vancouver Canucks |
| 8. Chicago Blackhawks |
| 9. New York Rangers |
| 10. Edmonton Oilers |
| 11. New York Islanders |
| 12. New York Islanders (via Flames) |
| 13. Dallas Stars |
| 14. Philadelphia Flyers (via Blues) |
| 15. Florida Panthers |
Let’s start with the big name we all know is going first-overall.
Rasmus Dahlin
2017-18 Team: Frölunda HC (SHL)
Date of Birth: April 13, 2000 (18 years old)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 183 pounds
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Rasmus Dahlin is known as being a franchise-maker, the Connor McDavid of defense (although even McDavid hasn’t been able to thoroughly help the Oilers). He combines size and the puck-moving ability of today’s mobile defensemen.
Dahlin is known for being a fantastic skater who can rush the puck and shows tremendous agility. He’s a shifty stickhandler with an accurate shot. Unlike a lot of finesse players, Dahlin isn’t afraid to use his big body to hit and make other physical plays.
The Buffalo Sabres, who also happened to have the worst record in the NHL last season, won the draft lottery this season. Presumably they’ll pick Dahlin.
Andrei Svechnikov
2017-18 Team: Barrie Colts, OHL
Date of Birth: March 26, 2000 (18 years old)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 188 pounds
Position: Right wing
Shoots: Left
Andrei Svechnikov is the Jack Eichel to Dahlin’s McDavid. The big winger is an explosive skater with a smooth and powerful stride typical of larger players and Russian skaters generally. Though he’s played the last two years in North America, he’s Russian-born and trained.
Svechnikov possesses a complete offensive game that includes both elite stick skills and the ability to power through opponents. He runs on a shoot-first mentality and has the quick release to back it up. His shot is deadly accurate.
The Carolina Hurricanes jumped up from #11 to #2 in the draft lottery, knocking the poor Ottawa Senators out of their deserved pick. In any case, they’ll probably be the proud owners of this Russian winger.
The next three prospects are certain to go top-ten, and closer to top-five than not. However, they’re not a sure in their ranking and numbers one and two.
Filip Zadina
2017-18 Team: Halifax Mooseheads
Date of Birth: November 27, 1999 (18 years old)
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 195 pounds
Position: Right wing
Shoots: Left
By virtue of his birthdate, Filip Zadina is a bit older than his draftmates, and that may help drive some of the maturity in his game. What’s more, Zadina displays a hockey pedigree, being the son of Marek Zadina, who’s big in the Czech hockey scene.
The Czech-trained winger displays explosive mobility in his skating. What’s special about Zadina, is he plays a 200-foot game. He’s dangerous in all three zones, proactively looking to wreck havoc on the opponent no matter where he is.
Zadina is a playmaker with good ice vision and creativity. His play is positionally sound, and he can drive possession. His lethal shot starts with a quick release and finishes with deadly accuracy.
Zadina is almost certain to end up with the Canadiens, Senators or Coyotes.
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.
Adam Boqvist
2017-18 Team: Brynäs IF, SHL
Date of Birth: August 15, 2000 (17 years old)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 168 pounds
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Right
Elephant in the room: Adam Boqvist is small and young. Like Zadina, he comes from a European hockey family, in this case Sweden. His brother, Jesper, was drafted by the New Jersey Devils but is still playing in Sweden, on the same team as Adam.
Adam Boqvist is 100% in the new style of offensive defensemen — small and speedy with fantastic puck-moving skills. He’s highly mobile and nimble in how he skates. His play is fluid and balanced.
What’s interesting about the small youngster is he’s actually known for playing some defense. While his offensive skills are what catch people’s attention, Boqvist quietly works the neutral zone to take and drive puck possession.
I hope the Ottawa Senators snap up Boqvist. He could learn at the great Erik Karlsson’s knee how to be a dynamic offensive defenseman at the NHL level.
Next: Sabres Win Dahlin Sweepstakes
Naturally, any NHL team would be lucky to draft Rasmus Dahlin, and the Colorado Avalanche are no different. Of the other top-five prospects, though, I would most love to have seen big Andrei Svechnikov in burgundy and blue. But, the Avs would probably salivate over little Boqvist more.