Colorado Avalanche: Early Season Evaluation and Pressure for Tyson Jost

The efficacy, ceiling, and even role of Colorado Avalanche sophomore center Tyson Jost is being questioned. Here is an in-depth look into those very areas.

Colorado Avalanche center Tyson Jost is a bust, or that’s what some Avs fans and pundits seem to believe. Boy, I’d think being a 20-year-old bust would be impossible in any profession except teen modeling, and there’s probably some leeway there, too.

I’m going to throw a hot take out there: Tyson Jost is not a bust. Nor is he on pace to be one.

The Colorado Avalanche selected Tyson Jost in the 2016 NHL Draft with their #10 pick. Jost already had an impressive resume at the lower levels.

Highlights include earning 86 points 39 goals, 47 assists) in 43 games then 109 points (56 goals, 53 assists) in 33 games with the Pursuit if Excellence Bantam Prep, which is the highest caliber of minor hockey.

Jost followed a similar trajectory in the BCHL with the Pentiction Vees, earning first 45 points (23 goals, 22 assists) in 46 games then 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 48 games.

Side note: As the Globe and Mail points out, playing Junior A followed by NCAA (collegiate) hockey is a trending pathway to the NHL these days.

Tyson Jost was already committed to the University of North Dakota when the Avalanche drafted him. He stayed just one year with NoDak, recording 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists) in 33 games as a freshman. Would Jost have continued his trajectory, making a big jump in points between his first and second year at a given level? We will never know because he turned pro after just one season in the NCAA.

More on that question later. For now, though, let’s look at some semi-formal discussions about Jost.