How the Colorado Avalanche built one of the NHL’s best farm systems
5 years, 6 months ago

How the Colorado Avalanche built one of the NHL’s best farm systems

New York Times  

Getting the fourth pick in 2017 NHL Draft and drafting Cale Makar is one thing. “I say this to a lot of people: We drafted the guys and we rest on nothing,” said Alan Hepple, the Avalanche’s director of amateur scouting. We go back over every and ask, ‘Why didn’t we like this guy?’ It’s about trying to better ourselves and better the team and learn from our mistakes as well.” Hepple, who is entering his 18th season with the Avalanche, said Sakic’s direction about finding prospects with hockey sense, skill and speed set a guideline for him and his scouting staff to follow going forward. “Joe has turned it around and given us a directive and it allows us to do our job and it’s a bonus all over the organization.” Colorado’s last two draft classes have generated a belief they could have players beyond the first round who could become NHL contributors. It is a plan that also includes defenseman Kevin Davis, center Josh Dickinson, center Sheldon Dries, forward Ty Lewis along with what they could have in former University of Wisconsin defenseman Peter Tischke, who signed an amateur tryout agreement last season and is on the team’s roster for the upcoming rookie tournament in Irvine, Calif. “You start grading minor league systems and they are in a really good sweet spot,” Cronin said of the Avalanche.

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History of this topic

Avalanche acquire Brock Nelson from the Islanders on the eve of the NHL trade deadline
Trending News
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Avalanche acquire Brock Nelson from the Islanders on the eve of the NHL trade deadline

Associated Press  

The Colorado Avalanche made a big splash on the eve of the NHL trade deadline late Thursday night by getting center Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders. The Rangers are also retaining half of what’s left of Smith’s salary and getting young forward Brendan Brisson and a 2025 third-round pick — previously belonging to last-place San Jose — back …

Avalanche's MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen Stepping Up Without Landeskog
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Avalanche's MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen Stepping Up Without Landeskog

Associated Press  

The Colorado Avalanche are set to be without key players for an undetermined amount of time due to injuries and suspension. Despite this, the team will rely on veterans like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen to keep them afloat until their cast returns. The team also welcomes back Jonathan Drouin and Logan O'Connor, who will provide much-needed scoring …

NHL trade grades: Flyers sending Sean Walker to Avalanche is a win for both teams
1 year ago

NHL trade grades: Flyers sending Sean Walker to Avalanche is a win for both teams

New York Times  

The trade Colorado Avalanche get: Defenseman Sean Walker, 2026 fifth-round pick. At 5 feet 11 inches and 195 pounds, Walker isn’t exactly built like a prototypical playoff defenseman, and that could be a concern for Colorado’s blue line, which already wasn’t very big to begin with. That all depends on whether Walker and the rest of Colorado’s small blue line …

Examining the present and future of the Avs’ pieces from the Matt Duchene trade
4 years, 9 months ago

Examining the present and future of the Avs’ pieces from the Matt Duchene trade

New York Times  

Usually, the second day of the NHL Entry Draft moves a little faster. Samuel Girard, defenseman: The Predators’ second-round pick in 2016 went from a rotational role to top-pairing minutes during his rookie season once he was traded to the Avalanche. Colorado’s long-term commitment toward Girard was made evident last July when he signed a seven-year extension carrying a $5 …

How going from farm to table is the plan for a quartet of Avalanche prospects
4 years, 11 months ago

How going from farm to table is the plan for a quartet of Avalanche prospects

New York Times  

It was not that long ago when the Colorado Avalanche were NHL basement lurkers requiring any promising prospect who appeared pro-ready to play immediately. “I think it’s a real nurturing environment when you get a group of prospects coming through at the same time,” Avalanche assistant general manager and Eagles general manager Craig Billington said. “It’s definitely a whirlwind the …

Wheeler’s 2020 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 5 Colorado Avalanche
5 years, 1 month ago

Wheeler’s 2020 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 5 Colorado Avalanche

New York Times  

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2020 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. Newhook’s going to be really, really good — the kind of player who can drive a second line or complement a top one — and play in all situations. His numbers don’t pop but he’s the best player — by a wide margin — on one of the worst …

2019 NHL farm system rankings: No. 2 Colorado Avalanche
5 years, 6 months ago

2019 NHL farm system rankings: No. 2 Colorado Avalanche

New York Times  

Corey Pronman’s deep dive into the farm system of every NHL organization includes a ranking of all of the team’s prospects, broken into tiers based on their projection; the impact on the upcoming season and an overall ranking of all players under 23. Martin Kaut, RW, Colorado-AHL Oct. 2, 1999 | 6-foot-2 | 176 pounds Tier: Very good NHL prospect …

And with the fourth pick the Colorado Avalanche could select …
5 years, 11 months ago

And with the fourth pick the Colorado Avalanche could select …

New York Times  

CALGARY, Alberta — Well, it won’t be Jack Hughes. Marner has turned into one of the game’s dynamic players while Tkachuk is off to a promising start after scoring 22 goals and 45 points in his first year with the Senators. Dylan Cozens, C, Lethbridge-WHL Cozens went from scoring 22 goals and 53 points in his first full season with …

Pavel Francouz knows small adjustments will make a big difference in his development
6 years, 4 months ago

Pavel Francouz knows small adjustments will make a big difference in his development

New York Times  

LOVELAND, Colo. – Traffic is the biggest difference between being here and back home in the Czech Republic or even Russia for that matter. That was part of the summer plan dating back to our end of the year meetings.” Billington, who is also the Eagles’ general manager, outlined his satisfaction with how Francouz has continued to understand the nuances …

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