Before analyzing each new Avalanche draft pick, a quick look at how the draft went as a whole for the entire league. A few personal favorites make the list but also smart gambles and good value abound.
Round 1
#4 – Bowen Byram – Colorado Avalanche
There aren’t enough superlatives for this pick. A home run in every sense.
#10 – Vasili Podkolzin – Vancouver Canucks
A gem of a player and sneaky good value at 10th.
#11 – Victor Soderstrom – Arizona Coyotes
Some panned this trade to just move within the defenseman run but the Coyotes got the best one.
Round 2
#38 – Raphael Lavoie – Edmonton Oilers
An expected faller but at this point the talent obtained makes a great pick.
#55 – Dillon Hamaliuk – San Jose Sharks
Perhaps selected a touch high but with their second pick of the round the Sharks make a sneaky steal on an injury faller.
#62 – Nikita Alexandrov – St Louis Blues
A nice upside choice for their first pick of the draft and may have caused the Avalanche to panic in their wake.
Round 3
#74 – Nathan Legare – Pittsburgh Penguins
Good value on a personal favorite. 45 goals!
#79 – Pavel Dorofeyev – Vegas Golden Knights
Was predictable Vegas grabbing a gem here.
#85 – Ilya Konovalov – Edmonton Oilers
Possibly the best goaltender value pick in the draft.
Round 4
#105 – Michal Teply – Chicago Blackhawks
Good sneaky upside grab.
#108 – Yegor Spiridonov – San Jose Sharks
The Sharks did well grabbing several Russians.
#122 – Ethan Keppen – Vancouver Canucks
A good player who somewhat fell through the cracks.
Round 5
#130 – Leevi Aaltonen – NY Rangers
A great place to take a chance on a small speedy player.
#140 – Sasha Mutala – Colorado Avalanche
Diving back into the WHL paid off with high talent faller.
#149 – Matvey Guskov – Minnesota Wild
Another team who got rewarded looking for CHL fallers early.
Round 6
#158 – Patrick Moynihan – New Jersey Devils
Good place for a chance on a depth NTDP player.
#171 – Luka Burzan – Colorado Avalanche
Grabbed one of the top overagers at a nice value.
#178 – Felix Bibeau – NY Islanders
Maybe not the best for return on investment but this player deserved to get drafted.
Round 7
#201 – Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Montreal Canadiens
Another hard working winner who deserved to get selected.
#207 – Valentin Nussbaumer – Arizona Coyotes
Untapped upside in this nice gamble.
#216 – Missimo Rizzo – Carolina Hurricanes
Excellent skill grab for second to last pick in the draft.