Tonight at 5:00 p.m. MST, at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, the Colorado Avalanche will partake in the NHL draft for the 22nd time in its history. Adding new players can change the dynamic of a franchise and create the base for a championship team and it all begins with the entry draft.
Since Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy took over the team in 2013 the Avalanche have done a relatively decent job of drafting. This season the managing duo appear to be under a bit more of a microscope, making this draft, perhaps, their most important yet.
However, the NHL draft has alway been pretty important for the Avalanche as it has brought some of the team’s best players, and therefore best moments, to Colorado hockey fans.
Looking back through the draft picks of the past, there have been plenty of good picks, some busts, some overachievers and some underachievers. We take a look at some of the most memorable moments in Avalanche draft history which have shaped the organization into what it is today.
We are starting negatively here, with what could potentially be the biggest bust in Avalanche history. A product of the 2011 draft class and a first-round selection for Colorado at pick 11, Duncan Siemens was a prospect with a lot of promise.
A stay-at-home defender who has been unable to develop and has only played one NHL game since being drafted, Siemens has proven year in and year out that he is not the defensemen the Avalanche thought they would one day be receiving.
Siemens played a few years in juniors before transitioning to the AHL where he struggled to ever make a real impact. Injuries and replacement players have continually pushed Siemens down the Avalanche’s organizational depth chart and there seems to be no sign of change.
The Avs had an obvious need at defense the last few seasons and Siemens could have filled that void if he were to have lived up to expectations. Duncan Siemens is perhaps the most disappointing draft pick the Avalanche may have ever had.
4. The Varly Trade
Acquiring Semyon Varlamov from the Washington Capitals as an unrestricted free agent in the 2011 offseason was one of the most important moves in shaping the team we see today.
Trading both a first-round and second-round pick in the 2012 draft to get Varly gave the Avalanche an elite goaltender between the pipes.
The first-round pick the Avalanche surrendered for the 23-year-old Varlamov turned out to be Filip Forsberg, who is now with the Nashville Predators and has had an impressive, young career so far.
We aren’t looking to play games of hypotheticals and hindsight, but there is no doubt the Avalanche were affected by the lack of activity in the 2012 draft. However, they did get a Vezina finalist and a major piece in today’s core.
The Varly trade is certainly one of the most impactful moves in Avalanche draft history.
3. Matt Duchene selected third overall
In 2009, the Avalanche got their shot at a top-10 player in the draft for the first time since moving to Denver. Taking Matt Duchene third overall brought in a highly skilled young player who was NHL ready and had potential to be the face of the franchise.
After 495 games played and 377 points (156 goals, 221 assists), Matt Duchene has made an enormous impact on the identity of the Avalanche and has been a fan favorite since his arrival.
At 25 years old, Duchene is already the 10th highest goal scorer in Avalanche/Nordiques history, and he just achieved his first 30 goal season of his career. His highest single-season point total came in 2013-14 when he tallied 70 points.
Matt Duchene will always be one of the more memorable Avalanche players and his impact on the team is undeniable. He has been a solid piece in Colorado, despite everyone’s constant scrutiny, and should continue to be one of the key pieces in the Avalanche’s core.
2. Alex Tanguay
Okay, okay… So, Alex Tanguay’s draft day wasn’t exactly “memorable,” but without the man, there is no 2001 Stanley Cup. It is a must that we pay respects to what brought him to Colorado in the first place, the 1998 draft.
Selected No. 12 overall, Alex Tanguay proved to be one of the more-important names in Avalanche history. With 598 games played in an Avs sweater, Tanguay is inside the top 10 for many Avalanche statistics, including games played, goals and points.
Drafting Tanguay has brought the biggest return for the Avalanche out of anyone drafted by Colorado itself, and not by the Nordiques. His second departure from Colorado last season was, without a doubt, unceremonious, but the name “Alex Tanguay” will forever live in the hearts and minds of Colorado Avalanche fans throughout the world.
1. Nathan MacKinnon taken first overall
With Colorado getting a first overall pick for the first time ever, and the organization’s first since the Quebec Nordiques took Eric Lindros in 1991, Nathan MacKinnon’s draft could one day have the biggest impact of any.
MacKinnon’s ceiling has yet to be seen, and at 21 years old, he already proves his value game in and game out with his display of ruthless speed and puck handling.
Looking back to the 2013 draft, we remember the narrative of, “Should the Avs take hometown kid Seth Jones with their first pick?”
The Avalanche responded with an immediate, “No.” They knew how special MacKinnon was going to be, and, only three years into his career, we can already see that they were correct in their assessment.
Nathan MacKinnon came out of the gates strong, winning the Calder Trophy his rookie year and opening eyes and dropping jaws all over the league. His following two seasons showed a little bit of a regression, but every game he plays in, MacKinnon requires more preparation and awareness from his opponents.
MacKinnon is and will be the main piece of the current Avalanche squad and should continue making himself a household name among NHL followers. When all is said and done, there is a good chance he goes down as the best Avalanche to have ever played.
Nathan MacKinnon’s selection is the most memorable and potentially impactful for the Colorado Avalanche. Perhaps one day, we can say the same about whoever the Avs decide to go with tonight in Buffalo.