Colorado Avalanche Could End up with 4th-Overall in the 2018 Draft

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 07: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Ottawa Senators, Matt Duchene #95, and Colin White #36 talk during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 7, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 07: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Ottawa Senators, Matt Duchene #95, and Colin White #36 talk during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 7, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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The Colorado Avalanche could end up with the Ottawa Senators’ fourth-overall draft pick this year. It all depends on how much gambling Ottawa is willing to do.

The Colorado Avalanche were not as bad as their 48-point 2016-17 season. They had a couple bumps in the road that sent them into a spiral, but the core of talent was always there.

The Ottawa Senators were not as bad as their nose-dive 2017-18 season, which saw them go from Stanley Cup contenders to front runners in the Rasmus Dahlin Sweepstakes — which they proceeded to lose. The core of talent was there — they just suffered too many distractions.

Here’s the thing, the distractions that caused the Senators to tank aren’t going away like the bumps in the road that the Avs were able to get over. Instead, they’re getting worse.

And that could result in the Colorado Avalanche getting Ottawa’s fourth-overall in the 2018 NHL Draft.