With the Colorado Avalanche mired in last place in the NHL and with seemingly a guarantee they finish no higher than 29th given the large gap between them and everyone else but Arizona, we’ve decided to take a midseason look at the NHL Draft this summer. It’s unfortunate Colorado’s season has gone such a way this conversation is relevant but reality says it’s time to start taking a look at who Colorado might draft this summer as they seek to change their fortunes.
To start, the 2017 NHL Draft does not feature a breakaway, franchise-altering star along the lines of Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, or Patrik Laine and it certainly doesn’t have the same caliber of high-end depth at the very top of the draft.