When the Avalanche traded Matt Duchene to the Senators in 2017, one of the assets Colorado received was a first-round draft pick, which turned out to be the No. 4 overall in this year’s draft. The Avs have selected a top-four pick four times since moving to Denver — and they’ve all fared well.
Beyond the first two picks — who most experts believe will be Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko — the rest of the 2019 NHL draft is wide open. Here’s a look at what some national outlets are thinking Colorado will do at No. 4:
NBC Sports’ Sammi Silber has :
“The 6-foot-3 forward is physical and an asset on special teams and at even strength. A point-scorer and a strong two-way player, the Avalanche would benefit greatly from his skill-set.”
ESPN’s Chris Peters :
“An explosive skater with the potential to land as the future No. 2 behind Nathan MacKinnon, Cozens is an intriguing option here. He’d make a pretty fast team faster, and I don’t think he has a particularly long NHL debut timeline.”
Rotoworld’s Ryan Wagman thinks the Avs will go for :
“Podkolzin is more of a two-way threat with size and skill than a purely offensive dynamo. More of a Landeskog than a Rantanen, if you will. Podkolzin plays a physical game and has made a rather rapid advancement in the Russian ranks in the past 12 months alone, moving from U17 hockey to cameos in the KHL in a single season.”
TSN’s Darren Yourk has center/right wing :
TSN’s Bob McKenzie rated Dach as : “Now he can score goals, but his natural inclination is to want to pass the puck. Now while Dach has NHL size (6-3, 199) that the scouts fully covet, not to mention elite offensive skills, he’s not blazing fast. He’ll have to continue to work on that first-step acceleration.”
NHL.com’s Guillaume Lepage has American center :
“He had a tough season in terms of health, missing time early in the season because of a lower-body injury and late because of mononucleosis, but when healthy, he averaged 1.68 points per game, showcasing his offensive skills.”
— , The Denver Post
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What’s on Tap?
- Rockies: At Chicago Cubs, 6:05 p.m. Wednesday, ATTRM |
- Rockies: At Chicago Cubs, 12:20 p.m. Thursday, ATTRM |
- Rockies: At New York Mets, 5:10 p.m. Friday, ATTRM |
TV/RADIO: Here’s what sports are airing today
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Scoreboard
MLB: Cubs 6, Rockies 3
Full story |
Must-Read
Kiszla: Why new quarterback Joe Flacco gets the Broncos back in the NFL playoff conversation
“He can throw the ball 80 yards, easy,” Broncos linebacker Von Miller said Tuesday, marveling at a mighty heave Flacco unleashed during practice. “He threw it 80 yards across the field. He’s looking like a Super Bowl MVP to me.” Read more…
Is CU Buffs great Rashaan Salaam a victim of a “personal vendetta” among College Football Hall of Fame voters?
Darian Hagan has a theory: Itap personal. A grudge, petty to the last. Read more…
Carlos Gonzalez finds fresh opportunity with Cubs, who are eager to see how he can fit into their playoff chase
“Just having a chance to continue to play, with a good group thatap fighting for a playoff spot, thatap what you want as a player,” Gonzalez said. “I’m excited to be here.” Read more…
Quick Hits
+ Rockies Mailbag: Whatap really wrong with Kyle Freeland? MLB trade deadline, team sports psychologist and more
+ Should the Colorado Avalanche pursue Artemi Panarin in free agency? Itap worth considering
+ Von Miller responds to critics of his Pass Rush Summit
+ Broncos Minicamp: First practice wraps up; Miller to receive national award
+ Mullen alum Maverick Handley is 1st Colorado player picked in 2019 MLB draft; Quin Cotton also selected
+ Stanford catcher Maverick Handley’s backup plan is career in medicine
+ Orioles draft Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with No. 1 pick
+ Stanley Cup Final shows there’s still room for “heavy” hockey in NHL
+ Kevin Durant out for Game 3 of NBA Finals
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
1
Broncos minicamp Day 1: What we saw on the field
The Broncos were on the field for more than two hours, but their minicamp practice looked a lot like the organized team activity workouts. Read more…
Parting Shot
WATCH: Mallory Pugh, Mia Hamm featured in new Gatorade commercial
As a junior at Mountain Vista High School in 2015, Mallory Pugh was named the national Gatorade Girls Player of the Year in soccer. Now on the eve of her first women’s World Cup, the Highlands Ranch phenom has been given an honor of a different sort by the sports drink company. 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 .
