Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and coach Patrick Roy had a conference call Thursday, primarily to discuss the NHL draft June 26-27 in Sunrise, Fla.
The Avs have the No. 10 pick, and Sakic said they will choose the best player available regardless of position, then draft based on need in the ensuing rounds.
The player they get at No. 10 might have a chance to help the Avs next season.
“We know there are some good D (defensemen) that are going to be up top, and there’s also a lot of real good forwards,” Sakic said. “It is a deep draft, especially the top 12, 13. Then you get down to the second, third and fourth rounds and there seems to be a pretty good grouping there as well.”
At No. 10, the Avs might be in position to select the draft’s second- or third-ranked defenseman: Russian Ivan Provorov or American Zach Werenski. Two big forwards — Canada’s Lawson Crouse or Pavel Zacha of the Czech Republic — also could be available there. Trading the pick is an option too.
“When we get to the draft, a lot of things can happen, a lot of different opportunities,” Sakic said. “But we’re content (to stay) at 10.”
WATCH:
Sakic and Roy discussed other issues and challenges with the team, including:
• Signing forward Ryan O’Reilly to a contract extension before the season remains a priority, Sakic said, but a trade is possible. The Avs have been negotiating with O’Reilly’s agents.
“We know where they are, and I’d like to have him signed by the start of the season, hopefully, but right now is a time where we’re focusing on the draft and free agency,” Sakic said.
O’Reilly is a pending unrestricted free agent in 2016.
“I like Ryan a lot. He’s a very valuable player and part of our corps,” Sakic said. “My first priority would be to sign him. Obviously, we’ll see where it all goes.”
• Roy is in the process of hiring two new assistant coaches, including a defensive bench coach.
“Right now it’s going well. I met a few candidates,” said Roy, who is replacing Andre Tourigny and video coach Mario Duhamel. “There is no time frame for me to decide when it’s going to happen. But it’s going well. I just want to take my time and make sure I’m going to hire the right (bench) person.”
• Sakic declined to comment on speculation the Avs are recruiting Russian forward Alexander Radulov, a former NHL first-round draft pick who most recently has played in his homeland.
• Sakic said he is encouraged about securing contract extensions for defensemen Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie and forward Nathan MacKinnon. Johnson is a pending unrestricted free agent after next season; Barrie and MacKinnon will be restricted.
• Johnson is 100 percent healthy after missing the last third of the 2014-15 season with a knee injury, Sakic said. Roy said forwards Jesse Winchester (concussion), Patrick Bordeleau (knee) and Jamie McGinn (back) are expected to participate in training camp.
• The Avs have nearly $13 million to spend when free agency begins July 1 if they don’t re-sign unrestricted free agents Jan Hejda, Ryan Wilson and Daniel Briere.
Sakic declined to say which free agents won’t be back.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@ or
