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Colorado Avalanche: 2018 NHL Mock Draft of the First Round

By Nadia Archuleta

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 24: General manager Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche listens to president of hockey operations Trevor Linden of the Vancouver Canucks on the draft floor during the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 24, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 24: General manager Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche listens to president of hockey operations Trevor Linden of the Vancouver Canucks on the draft floor during the 2017 NHL Draft at United Center on June 24, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche will be picking in the middle of the first round, at #16. Here’s how the whole first round could play out.

The Colorado Avalanche, along with the other 30 teams, will be sending representatives to Dallas for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The Stars are hosting the event in their home arena, the American Airlines Center.

The Draft takes place June 22-23. The first round will be broadcast on NBCSN at 5:30 PM MT on Friday. I cannot find a TV listing or time for the second round on any network. Last year it started at 7 AM MT.

In any case, in anticipation of Friday’s event, let’s look at a full mock draft.

Picks 1 Through 5

1. player. 12. . Defense. Frolunda HC. Rasmus Dahlin

The Buffalo Sabres might have some problems right now, but we all know they’re going to pick the generational player, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, in the first round. We’ve all been dreaming about him. Well, he’s going to Buffalo.

Barrie. Andrei Svechnikov. 2. player. 109. . Right Wing

The Carolina Hurricanes jumped up from #11 to #2 in the draft lottery, knocking the poor Ottawa Senators out of their deserved pick. They’re likely to choose the big, powerful winger with elite stick skills. The numbers one and two picks have been in the books for a while now.

. Right Wing. Halifax. Filip Zadina. 3. player. 152

The Montreal Canadiens need help on all fronts except goal tending. If they do like most teams — pick best available — they should end up with right wing Filip Zadina. The Czech-trained winger displays explosive mobility in his skating who’s dangerous in all three zones. That’s helpful considering how much the Habs need.

Quinn Hughes. 4. player. 91. . Defense. Michigan

The Ottawa Senators look pretty good to lose their franchise player, defenseman Erik Karlsson. Quinn Hughes isn’t Karlsson, but they may still want to pick up a small, speedy defenseman with soft hands.  Hughes is an agile puck-moving defenseman. He’s known for being quick and sly like a fox in how he makes plays.

121. . Left Wing. Boston U. Brady Tkachuk. 5. player

Brady Tkachuk isn’t the elite playmaker the Arizona Coyotes really crave. However, if the Senators really draft for need, and Tkachuk falls to the #5 position, the Coyotes would be smart to pick the power forward up.

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