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Colorado Avalanche: 3 Defenseman Choices for the First Round

By Nadia Archuleta

PLYMOUTH, MI - FEBRUARY 16: Bode Wilde #15 of the USA Nationals body checks Pavel Rotenburg #10 of the Russian Nationals during the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament game at USA Hockey Arena on February 16, 2018 in Plymouth, Michigan. USA defeated Russia 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)*** Local Caption *** Bode Wilde; Pavel Rotenburg
PLYMOUTH, MI - FEBRUARY 16: Bode Wilde #15 of the USA Nationals body checks Pavel Rotenburg #10 of the Russian Nationals during the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament game at USA Hockey Arena on February 16, 2018 in Plymouth, Michigan. USA defeated Russia 5-4. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)*** Local Caption *** Bode Wilde; Pavel Rotenburg /
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The Colorado Avalanche have eight picks in the 2018 NHL Draft, with the first coming at the #16 spot. If they choose a defenseman for that pick, here are their top three options.

The Colorado Avalanche will make their first draft selection with the #16 spot. The party line is that the team will choose the best player available.

I’m hoping the Avs choose the best player available in the position they need. If that’s the case, they probably won’t choose a defenseman. For the first time, defense isn’t Colorado’s biggest area of worry.

Colorado has a pretty good foundation set with their cornerstone, Erik Johnson, being locked in for the next five seasons. His heir-apparent, Nikita Zadorov, will be looking for a new contract after next season, but he’s slated to be RFA. I have confidence the Avs will sign him.

Tyson Barrie is locked in for two more seasons, as is his heir-apparent, Samuel Girard.

Colorado also has Mark Barberio and Mark Alt for two more years as role players on defense. Anton Lindholm has one more year, and it’s said the team is negotiating with Patrik Nemeth.

More exciting is who they have coming up the pipeline — Conor Timmins and Cale Makar. Timmins will be at training camp and is expected to play at some point next season. Makar will captain the UMass Minutemen, after which time he’s expected to sign his entry-level contract.

In the system, they also have Nicolas Meloche, Josh Anderson, and the injured Sergei Boikov. They also drafted Nicky Leiverman last year.

So, we’re looking at an eventual future of Johnson, Zadorov, Barrie, Girard, Timmins, and Makar. Oh, yeah.

However, as a wise man once said (it was Patrick Roy), you also need to draft with vision. I’d say Colorado might well trade Barrie at some point, or lose him in two years, so it makes sense to start planning for that now.

I don’t think they should spend a first-rounder on a defenseman unless he’s really standout. I’m not sure I could these guys in that category. However, according to Avs scout Alan Hepple, these three defensemen are on the Avs radar.

Here are three options ranked by how much I like them for the Colorado Avalanche’s #16 selection.

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