From left, A.J. Greer and Nicolas Meloche pose after being selected 39th and 40th overall by the Colorado Avalanche during the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center on June 27, 2015 in Sunrise, Fla. (Bruce Bennett, Getty Images)
My feature on Avalanche first-round pick Mikko Rantanen will be in the Tuesday paper and online.
I also spoke with Colorado’s two second-round picks — left wing A.J. Greer and defenseman Nicolas Meloche — at the team’s Monday availability at the Pepsi Center.
Greer and Meloche both are from Quebec, speak French as their first language but also can get by — and more — in English. The Avalanche used consecutive choices (Nos. 39 and 40 overall) in the June 26 draft to claim them, and their new friendship will be strengthened at Colorado’s development camp, beginning Tuesday morning at Family Sports Center.
Neither will be with the Avalanche in the 2015-16 season because, barring bizarre scenarios, Greer will play his sophomore season at Boston University and Meloche will be back with Baie-Comeau of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
But they likely will be at rookie camp and perhaps even the start of the regular training camp, and then will be in the Avalanche organizational pipeline.
Greer Monday made reference to knowing that the Avalanche formerly was the Quebec Nordiques, and mentioned how honored he was to go to the team with “Mr. Roy” and “Mr. Sakic” in crucial roles as coach and general manager.
That was jarring for one reason: The NHL now is drafting players who weren’t born when the Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995.
Greer, 18, came down from Quebec to attend Kendall Union Academy in New Hampshire. “My family and I are big on school,” Greer said. “It’s a big family value, and to have the opportunity to have a scholarship to a D-1 college is something really special. I think prep school’s the best route to go for that.”
As a freshman last season at Boston University, Greer had three goals and four assists in 37 games for the Terriers. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger worked his way up from the fourth line as the season progressed.
“My stats weren’t where I wanted them to be, but I expected that transition from prep school hockey to college hockey to definitely be hard,” Greer said. “We had a really good team, No. 1 in the nation, so it was hard to get up the lineup. Every day, day in and day out, it was just a grind.
“We went to the national championship game and lost, but I was really happy with the ending to my year. I finished on the second line and had a big goal in the semifinals. The first half was hard. I think in the following years, I’ll gain some confidence and gain the confidence of the coaches and my teammates.”
Meloche, 6-2 and 204 pounds, had 10 goals and 24 assists in 44 games for Baie-Comeau last season, plus four goals in 12 playoff games. His year was interrupted by a broken bone in his hand. At one point, he was expected to be a first-round pick, but the injury probably cost him that.
“I didn’t play a lot after Christmas,” he said Monday. “I was out for three months, and had surgery and all that. I wanted to go in the first round, but I was just looking forward to being drafted. It doesn’t matter now, the number, we’re all in the same spot now and have to work hard.
“I’m looking forward to getting better this week and seeing what my weaknesses are, and to be better after work in the summer for rookie camp. . . It’s tough for a defenseman at 18 to make the NHL, so I’m looking forward to going back to Baie-Comeau and improving this year.”
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or twitter.com/TFrei
