The Colorado Avalanche have sent their fourth-overall pick in this year’s draft back to his major juniors team. Bowen Byram is returning to the Vancouver Giants.
This roster move caught me by surprise, but it makes sense as I think about it. I had genuinely though the team would give him those nine regular-season games they contractually can before sending him back. I never expected him to permanently make the NHL roster as an 18-year-old defenseman.
Not only is the defense position a harder transition for players — very few NHL defensemen make the big team their draft year — but Colorado has a bit of a logjam at defense.