When the Ottawa Senators finished with the worst record in the NHL, the Avalanche — who owns their pick — had an 18.5% chance at getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft and no worst than the No. 4 selection. The Avs ended up with the fourth pick after the lottery.
How has Colorado done in years past with a top-four pick? Since the franchise moved to Denver, the Avs have selected four players at that position. Here’s a look:
2009: Matt Duchene, center, third pick
Duchene, 28, spent eight-plus seasons in Colorado, tallying 178 goals and 250 assists for 428 points in 586 games. He was named to two all-star teams (2011 and 2016) before being traded to Ottawa in 2017 for the Senators’ first- and third-round picks in 2019, and Nashville defenseman Samuel Girard and left wing Vladimir Kamenev.
2011: Gabriel Landeskog, left wing, second pick
Landeskog, 26, was named the fourth captain in Avalanche history in 2012 at the age of 19. He has recorded 416 points (177 goals, 239 assists) in 579 games. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s top rookie in 2012. This past season, he recorded career highs in points (75), goals (34) and assists (41), earning his first all-star appearance.
2014: Nathan MacKinnon, center, first pick
The team’s first No. 1 overall pick since the team’s move to Denver, MacKinnon, 23, has made a big impact since his 2013 debut. In 456 games, he has 155 goals and 247 assists for 402 points. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2014 and has been named an all-star in each of the past three seasons. His 99 points this past season is the most by a Colorado player since Joe Sakic reached 100 in 2006-07.
2017: Cale Makar, defenseman, fourth pick
The 20 year old has yet to make his debut with the Avs — though it might come soon if Massachusetts loses to DU on Thursday — but his scouting report shows a stellar future. Makar has 48 points in 39 games this season, a record for a UMass defenseman. “This is a player who could be a generational talent on the blue line for the Avalanche,” Mike Chambers wrote in March.
— , The Denver Post
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What’s on Tap?
- Rockies: Atlanta Braves, 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, ATTRM |
- Nuggets: Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ALT |
- Rapids: Seattle Sounders, 7 p.m. Wednesday, ALT2 |
- Avalanche: At Calgary Flames, 8 p.m. Thursday, ALT/NBCSN |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
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Scoreboard
MLB: Brave 7, Rockies 1
Full story |
NBA: Jazz 118, Nuggets 108
Full story | Box score
Must-Read
Kiszla: For Troy Terry, a Frozen Four road trip with the DU Pioneers is cooler than a million bucks
Yes, Terry is a big NHL millionaire. But on this DU trip to the Frozen Four, he’s just along for the ride. Read more…
Rockies Mailbag: Angry fans want answers to Rockies slow start. Could Matt Holliday help?
Denver Post sports writer Patrick Saunders posts his Rockies Mailbag every other week on Tuesdays during the season and once per month during the offseason. Read more…
How the Colorado Avalanche got scary tight, scary fast and scary good at the perfect time
Stanley Cup veterans Ian Cole, Philipp Grubauer and Matt Calvert, who’d collectively played in 82 career postseason games and won three NHL titles, said the Avs are just as blended off the ice as they are on it. Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Derek Wolfe, with a clean bill of health, aims to be a “Bronco for life”
+ Michael Malone denies the Nuggets lost on purpose: “We’re not scared of anybody”
+ David Dahl placed on injured list, Rockies recall Yonathan Daza from Triple-A
+ Rapids striker Kei Kamara has the fifth-most goals in MLS history, and is providing needed leadership in Colorado
+ Colorado Rapids podcast: Nani’s head-butt, chaos in Orlando, and the first DGW of 2019
+ Colorado to consider letting its colleges pay student athletes, whether the NCAA likes it or not
+ Magic Johnson abruptly resigns as Lakers’ president
+ Rory McIlroy juggling mind and game in Masters quest
+ Masters Tournament 2019: Tee times for first two rounds
+ Marilynn Smith dies: Hall of Famer and LPGA founder was 89
Post Mailbag forms
+ Broncos Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Nuggets Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Avs Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
+ Rockies Mailbag: Have a question about the team? .
By The Numbers
4
Avalanche slips from No. 1 to No. 4 in NHL draft order — again
This is the second time in three years the Avalanche will have the No. 4 pick in the draft, despite having the best odds to select first. Read more…
Parting Shot
Woman sues Astros for $1M, says T-shirt cannon broke finger
A woman has sued the Houston Astros for more than $1 million, saying that a T-shirt cannon by the team’s mascot at a game last season broke her finger. Read more…
Get in Touch
If you see something thatap cause for question or have a comment, thought or suggestion, email me at dboniface@denverpost.com or tweet me .
