Mile High Sticking
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Colorado Avalanche: 4 Late-Round Draft Picks Who Panned Out

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - MARCH 31: John-Michael Liles #4 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Nashville Predators at the Pepsi Center on March 31, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Nashville Predators defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 31: John-Michael Liles #4 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Nashville Predators at the Pepsi Center on March 31, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. The Nashville Predators defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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Radim Vrbata

Position: Right wing
Draft position: 7th round, 212th-overall
Years in the NHL: 16 (2001-02 to 2017-18)
Years with the Colorado Avalanche: 2 (2001-02 to 2002-03)
All Time Stats: 1,057 games played, 623 points (284 goals, 339 assists)

Right wing Radim Vrbata had a long NHL career that just ended after 16 seasons. He bounced around to seven teams, but that’s still a respectable career for a seventh-rounder.

Vrbata played 118 games for the Colorado Avalanche. He recorded 60 points (29 goals, 31 assists) in that time. He also scored seven game-winning goals over those two seasons.

The Avalanche traded Radim Vrbata to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Bates Battaglia. As noted, Vrbata continued to play, and he just announced his retirement at the end of last season.

Here’s a touching video of former teammates congratulating Radim Vrbata on his long career — including our own GM Joe Sakic:

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