Avalanche draft record has been surprisingly disappointing for many years

[Hasbro]

Reflective of how rudderless the team was after Lacroix's health scare in '06. He was still in charge, but not involved so nothing really got done.

 

[Number 57]

So I was looking through Avs draft record and I honestly had no idea how terrible it has been for many years. They've always been a team ive kinda enjoyed watching but I didn't realize how rough of a go they've had come draft day....

I wont touch on 2015 cause its still pretty early, although Rantanen does look like the real deal.

I just saw an article that Avs 2014 draft was pretty much a huge swing and miss. Their first 2 picks Bleackley and Wood were traded away, and their next 2 picks weren't signed and put back in draft. They did sign their 5th and 7th round from that draft.

in 2013 Mackinnon was obviously a good choice and we are still waiting to see what Bigras can do... everyone else in that draft hasn't panned out

in 2012 it looks like a swing and miss... Blandisi has started to do well, but not with the Avs

2011 was another obvious good high choice Landeskog, but they crapped the bed with their other 1st Siemens. .. and nobody else has done anything

2010 the only significant piece was Pickard in the 2nd... and still, we are waiting to see what happens there although he does look good

2009 was a good year... Duchene, Oreilly, Barrie

2008 bad

2007 Shattenkirk but bad after that

2006 only person to play in NHL is Stewart

2005 Stastny was good and with the exception of a few others that had a few games, turned out not good too

2004 Wolski is only significant name

and then so on and so on... even before those years there weren't many

Im unsure what their management situation is... like if they have hired/fired many scouts over the years and all that? I know they've gone through 3 different GM's since 2006 but it seems like each GM has drafted poorly.

I am shocked to have seen this!!!

That's very interesting! Especially what they have done with the very few picks that they actually hit.

For exemple, not signing Blandisi who looks solid with the Devils now. Trading away Woods, one of their only good recent pick (outside of the top-10)

Letting Stastny walk

Making a 2-for-1 deal Stewart/Shatty for Johnson.

All that adds up when you don't draft any depth and you get rid/trade away all your talent.

The Siemends/Hishon busts really hurts. Wolski becoming the suck also hurts.

Hopefully for them, Pickard and Bigras will pan out, as well as some of their most recent picks like the Q trio of Beaudin, Greer and Meloche. All look good right now, and obviously Rantanen will be great.

Their 2009 draft is sick, similar to Montreal's haul with Subban, McDonagh and Pacioretty. That draft really saved Colorado's ass.

 

[Stephen]

How is it surprising when they aren't even a good team?

 

[Ivan13]

That's very interesting! Especially what they have done with the very few picks that they actually hit.

For exemple, not signing Blandisi who looks solid with the Devils now. Trading away Woods, one of their only good recent pick (outside of the top-10)

Letting Stastny walk

Making a 2-for-1 deal Stewart/Shatty for Johnson.

All that adds up when you don't draft any depth and you get rid/trade away all your talent.

The Siemends/Hishon busts really hurts. Wolski becoming the suck also hurts.

Hopefully for them, Pickard and Bigras will pan out, as well as some of their most recent picks like the Q trio of Beaudin, Greer and Meloche. All look good right now, and obviously Rantanen will be great.

Their 2009 draft is sick, similar to Montreal's haul with Subban, McDonagh and Pacioretty. That draft really saved Colorado's ass.

That's revisionist history. Blandisi wasn't signed because he was coming of a so-so season in which he missed a lot of time due to an undisclosed illnes.

 

[Stephen]

Reflective of how rudderless the team was after Lacroix's health scare in '06. He was still in charge, but not involved so nothing really got done.

Avs drafting sucked for many years during Lacroix's tenure too. Outside of the 1998 haul and even then there was Scott Parker, many first and early second round Avs picks turned out to be disappointments and busts. Marc Denis, Chris Stewart, Ryan Stoa, Wojtek Wolski, Jonas Johansson, Vaclav Nedorost, Mikael Kuleshov, Kevin Grimes. One of the big reasons why the Avs fell off earlier than Detroit as a real contender.

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Not drafting well or bad scouting/development? Can argue all day which one it was. Outside of top 5 picks, no one is guaranteed.

 

[tucker3434]

Avs drafting sucked for many years during Lacroix's tenure too. Outside of the 1998 haul and even then there was Scott Parker, many first and early second round Avs picks turned out to be disappointments and busts. Marc Denis, Chris Stewart, Ryan Stoa, Wojtek Wolski, Jonas Johansson, Vaclav Nedorost, Mikael Kuleshov, Kevin Grimes. One of the big reasons why the Avs fell off earlier than Detroit as a real contender.

Yep. When you've got guys like Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy (playing), you can cover for a lot of personel errors. But when those guys retire, all those issues catch up to you.

 

[Aceboogie]

Meh. Their drafting is pretty much on par with league average. Maybe some bad 2nd round picks

But they stole Barrie in 2009 at 64th overall and that is what differentiates teams. Colorado missed out on some prospects that could have been depth guys, but landed a steal in Barrie

If you go back a bit further, RoR was a steal (one of a very small # of #1 centers drafted outside 1st round) and so was Statsny