The Colorado Avalanche did not succeed with defenseman Chris Bigras. I know that’s backward from the way it’s usually put, but prospects really are a two-way street.
The Avalanche picked Bigras in the same draft as Nathan MacKinnon, 2013. He was their second-rounder, going 32nd overall. Though not big for a defenseman — 6-foot-1 and around 190 pounds — Bigras was a well-touted prospect.
At the time, Bigras was scouted as a defenseman who plays smart with the puck. Though not offensively flashy, he was expected to put up a few points while being sound in the defensive zone — a quintessential two-way defenseman with speed.