Colorado Avalanche: Perfect 7-Round Draft Scenario

The Colorado Avalanche are stacked with picks for the 2019 NHL Draft. Here’s how I’d like to see them played out.

The Colorado Avalanche have picks in every round except the fourth this year — Colorado sent that to the Predators in exchange for Colin Wilson. The Avs actually have five selections in the first three rounds.

In other words, the Avalanche can stock the cupboards pretty well at the 2019 NHL Draft. Here is the full list of draft picks the team has:

#4 (from Ottawa)
#16
#47
#63 (also from Ottawa)
#78
#140
#171
#202

It’s so good to see five of those picks come in the first 100 selections.

Colorado Avalanche director of amateur scouting, Alan Hepple, was pretty succinct in what the team was looking for in this draft — speed, skill, and IQ. Concerning the last, Colorado wants players who can think the game as fast as they can play it.

He also mentioned that they expect to have to develop one or two of those qualities with their draft picks, especially the lower-level guys.

Looking at the Colorado Avalanche’s roster and prospect pool, and keeping in mind how events have played out the last couple years, I’d say to make size a deciding factor. If you were choosing between two prospects, I’d go for the bigger one.

To be clear, size isn’t the main quality, and I’m aware it’s not something the team is emphasizing right now. I’m emphasizing it because teams with bigger players are winning series and championships.

Anyway, with those qualities in mind, here’s how I think a perfect draft would look for the Colorado Avalanche. I’m not looking at what other teams are likely to pick except to note certain players won’t be available when the Avs select.