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Colorado Avalanche: Team’s biggest need in 2022 NHL Draft

By Graham Tiedtke

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Colorado Avalanche coaches and players pose for a photo after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: Colorado Avalanche coaches and players pose for a photo after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche won this year’s Stanley Cup, but what areas should they look at in the 2022 NHL Draft?

The 2022 NHL Draft is upon us. The Colorado Avalanche have four selections this week. How should they use those picks?

The NHL is pretty unique in that players who are drafted very rarely play the following season. They take time in a lower level of hockey to perfect their craft before entering the big league for good.

One area they do not have to worry too much about in terms of the Draft is center. They just re-signed Andrew Cogliano to a one-year deal and despite Nathan MacKinnon currently scheduled to hit free agency following the upcoming season, it would shock every single Avalanche fan if he is not wearing burgundy and blue in 2023.

The fact is, the Avalanche have several players whose contracts run out in upcoming years. MacKinnon is the main focus for next offseason, but they have to decide where to spend their money between Valeri Nichushkin, Bowen Byram, Andre Burakovsky, and Darcy Kuemper, just to name a few of their unrestricted free agents.

Goaltender Darcy Kuemper helped the Avalanche get to and win the Stanley Cup this season even on an just one good eye. While I don’t quite know what the severity of the injury is, we still have to talk about the fact that Kuemper turned 32 this year. It would not hurt if the Avalanche took a goalie with one of their four picks.

However, there are some good arguments for the team re-signing Kuemper.

The Avalanche also have Pavel Francouz, who played while Kuemper was out, and could call up Hunter Miska or Justus Annunen from the Colorado Eagles, the Avs’ AHL affiliate team.

The Colorado Avalanche might just focus on free agents instead of the 2022 NHL Draft.

While the goal of a draft is to try and find star players or even diamonds in the rough, the Avalanche aren’t going to fill the team with younger players. Their focus is to build around their core with guys that can make Ann impact now.

If I had to guess, I would predict that this group they have now is going to stick together for the most part. It wouldn’t surprise me if they let a couple of the older players walk in free agency.

The beauty of this team is that it has depth. It was one of the most noticeable things when watching the team this year.

This depth will be important for years to come if the team can keep the group together.

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