The Colorado Avalanche have one first-round pick in the NHL Entry Draft at the No. 24 position and there are a few predictions for who they will choose.
The overall projections have been quite varied from an American left-wing to a Swedish defenseman. Here are a few of the options.
The Hockey News' Tony Ferrari picked defenseman Dominik Badinka from Malmo (Sweden).
"Badinka can potentially be one of the sneakiest value picks in the NHL draft, and Colorado nabbing him here makes a ton of sense. He is a big, mobile blueliner who is solid in his own zone and has flashed some puck-moving ability in transition at the SHL level already. With some patience, he could be a fixture in their top four, playing a bit of a do-it-all role for them," Ferrari wrote in his mock draft post.
Related: The Colorado Avalanche's Best Active Homegrown Player: Brought to You By Upper Deck
NHL.com writers chose left-wingers — from opposite sides of the planet.
Deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman — " Igor Chernyshov: The Avalanche will have to be patient to get Chernyshov to North America, but the reward could be worth it for a big, skilled forward who already has shown an ability to use his body to attack the net and produce as an 18-year-old in the KHL."
Senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale — " Trevor Connelly: His game is predicated on speed, skill, vision and compete, and he's too good to pass up at this point in the draft. He averaged 1.50 points in 52 games, first in the USHL among players with at least 30 games."
The New York Times chose center Sacha Boisvert from Muskegon of the USHL.
"Boisvert may not have the numbers of (Michael) Hage or Connelly in the USHL, but he’s a well-liked player by NHL teams due to his size and well-rounded play down the middle. I think early to mid 20s is his range right now. Colorado would be excited to add to their center depth alongside Calum Ritchie."
The Hockey News' Colleen Flynn predicts the Avs will take a big D-man and Spencer Gill from the QMJHL fits that bill. He may be a bit lanky for his height but with the focus of the Avalanche's development for its defensemen, Gill could be molded into a nice fit down the road.
Past Avalanche first-round picks
The Avalanche have bode well with first-rounders over the years. Case in point, there are four active first-round picks that have become elite players and are the core of the team.
Here's a list of first-round picks since the team moved to Denver.
2023 Calum Ritchie (27th overall - Oshawa), Mikhail Gulyayev (31st overall - Omsk Jr.) 2021 Oskar Olausson (28th overall - HV71)
2020 Justin Barron (25th overall - Halifax)
2019 Bowen Byram (4th overall - Vancouver), Alex Newhook (16th overall - Victoria) 2018 Martin Kaut (16th overall - HC Dynamo Pardubice)
2017 Cale Makar (4th overall - Brooks)
2016 Tyson Jost (10th overall - Penticton)
2015 Mikko Rantanen (10th overall - TPS)
2014 Conner Bleackley (23rd overall - Red Deer)
2013 Nathan MacKinnon (1st overall - Halifax)
2011 Gabriel Landeskog (2nd overall - Kitchener)
2010 Joey Hishon (17th overall - Owen Sound)
2009 Matt Duchene (3rd overall - Brampton)
2007 Kevin Shattenkirk (14th overall - USDP)
2006 Chris Stewart (18th overall - Kingston)
2004 Wojtek Wolski (21st overall - Brampton)
2002 Jonas Johansson (28th overall - HV71 Jr.)
2000 Vaclav Nedorost (14th overall - HC Ceske Budejovice)
1999 Mikhail Kuleshov (25th overall - Severstal)
1998 Alex Tanguay (12th overall - Halifax), Martin Skoula (17th overall - Barrie), Robyn Regehr (19th overall - Kamloops), Scott Parker (20th overall - Kelowna)
1997 Kevin Grimes (26th overall - Kingston)
1996 Peter Ratchuk (25th overall - Shattuck-St. Mary’s School)
1995 Marc Denis (25th overall - Chicoutimi)
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