R S
Registered User
- Sep 18, 2006
- 25,468
- 10
It's been a hot topic on the Avs board since Colorado started dumping in their bed's at the start of the new year. It went from, "Hey, we might have a shot at Strome" to "Hey, we might be able to crack to the top 4" to "Hey, we might have a chance at Nugent-Hopkins".
The way things stand now, they are picking 2nd. I (along with about 90 percent of people out there) think that RNH is a lock to go to the Oil at 1st overall.
That leaves the Avs with 3 or 4 players to choose from in my mind:
1. Adam Larsson - Big, slick, two way defender. Will provide (at the very least) a very solid option in the teams top 4 on the blueline for the next 10+ years. Might be tough to pass up someone more offensively gifted like a Huberdeau or even someone like Strome, but base your team around Erik Johnson and Adam Larsson is a pretty big starting point.
There is also the argument that the Avs have really not lacked the ability to score goals when fully healthy, possibly making the need to draft a defenseman that much more apparent.
2. Gabriel Landeskog - Kid that does it all. Scores, hits, fights, leads. A total package, even if some wonder how well his offensive game will translate. Does he become a 55 point NHLer or an 80 point NHLer? That's the big question.
He would be able to step in and provide immediate size and grit that the Avalanche have lacked since the rebuild started. Some say he might replace what the team traded in Chris Stewart.
3. Jonathan Huberdeau - One of the biggest risers for a reason. Provides the option of playing LW and C and could be the most offensively gifted player in the draft outside of RNH. He may not have as much grit as someone like Landeskog, but he does play with an edge to his game.
He won't likely step straight into the NHL like the two players listed above him. But, the Avs will likely be fine to wait for the player that some compare to Simon Gagne in his prime.
4. Sean Couturier - SC has NHL size and is a great all round player. Provides an offensive touch and the ability to play a shutdown game if that's what's needed. Has been in the spot light for over 2 years now leading up to 2011 and might be suffering from over-exposure by now.
This one is the least likely to happen out of the 4 in my opinion. I know people say not to draft for need, rather take the best player available, but the Avs are truly set down the middle for the next decade or more. There is the outside chance they draft Couturier, the center, because they feel he is too good to pass up. Who knows?
There are obviously other options out there as well, like trading the pick, somehow getting RNH, drafting someone like Strome, Hamilton or Murphy...but I just don't see that happening.
In my eyes the Avs will get one of the top 3 players I listed. So, what do you think they do?
The way things stand now, they are picking 2nd. I (along with about 90 percent of people out there) think that RNH is a lock to go to the Oil at 1st overall.
That leaves the Avs with 3 or 4 players to choose from in my mind:
1. Adam Larsson - Big, slick, two way defender. Will provide (at the very least) a very solid option in the teams top 4 on the blueline for the next 10+ years. Might be tough to pass up someone more offensively gifted like a Huberdeau or even someone like Strome, but base your team around Erik Johnson and Adam Larsson is a pretty big starting point.
There is also the argument that the Avs have really not lacked the ability to score goals when fully healthy, possibly making the need to draft a defenseman that much more apparent.
2. Gabriel Landeskog - Kid that does it all. Scores, hits, fights, leads. A total package, even if some wonder how well his offensive game will translate. Does he become a 55 point NHLer or an 80 point NHLer? That's the big question.
He would be able to step in and provide immediate size and grit that the Avalanche have lacked since the rebuild started. Some say he might replace what the team traded in Chris Stewart.
3. Jonathan Huberdeau - One of the biggest risers for a reason. Provides the option of playing LW and C and could be the most offensively gifted player in the draft outside of RNH. He may not have as much grit as someone like Landeskog, but he does play with an edge to his game.
He won't likely step straight into the NHL like the two players listed above him. But, the Avs will likely be fine to wait for the player that some compare to Simon Gagne in his prime.
4. Sean Couturier - SC has NHL size and is a great all round player. Provides an offensive touch and the ability to play a shutdown game if that's what's needed. Has been in the spot light for over 2 years now leading up to 2011 and might be suffering from over-exposure by now.
This one is the least likely to happen out of the 4 in my opinion. I know people say not to draft for need, rather take the best player available, but the Avs are truly set down the middle for the next decade or more. There is the outside chance they draft Couturier, the center, because they feel he is too good to pass up. Who knows?
There are obviously other options out there as well, like trading the pick, somehow getting RNH, drafting someone like Strome, Hamilton or Murphy...but I just don't see that happening.
In my eyes the Avs will get one of the top 3 players I listed. So, what do you think they do?
