Before the COVID log straightened its ugly head, 106 NHL draft picks were scheduled to enter the NCAA tournament. And the Avalanche originally had the eight best NHL prospects in the 16-team division – including Boston College’s Alex Newhook from the 2019 first round.
The COVID protocol reduced that list to five Avs prospects after Notre Dame was forced to pull out of its regional kick-off Avs in 2016, 2017 and 2020 on Saturday against BC in Albany, New York. Clurman of Boulder is the co- Captain of Notre Dame.
Newhook and the Eagles – with two other Avs conscripts in defenseman Drew Helleson and striker Colby Ambrosio – will receive a free ticket to the regional final on Sunday, playing against the St. Cloud State-Boston University winner.
Michigan also withdrew from the tournament on Friday due to COVID and sent Minnesota-Duluth to the regional final in Fargo, ND
Back to Newhook, the 19-year-old elite striker who could potentially sign his NHL entry-level contract with the Avs the day after the Eagles were eliminated or the national title won. Colorado is rich in top six strikers and doesn’t need top prospects to win games this season.
But the Avs may want Newhook to come next month, play a limited number of games to keep him from burning his ELC’s first year, and replace upcoming unrestricted free agent Brandon Saad next season. The Avs are paying 28-year-old Saad $ 5 million this season, and when Newhook makes his cap hit it will be around $ 900,000.
Those savings could help Colorado re-sign left wing Gabe Landeskog and goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer, both outstanding UFAs, and defender Cale Makar, a restricted free agent.
Newhook was originally one of the 12 first-round draft picks of the NCAA tournament and one of the three to play for BC. Eagles forward Matt Boldy and goalie Spencer Knight are the best prospects for the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers.
The Avalanche’s main focus this weekend is likely to be in Loveland at the Budweiser Events Center, where the Minnesota Golden Gophers with the best seeds battle Nebraska Omaha. Minnesota’s top scorer Sampo Ranta, a 20-year-old young striker, was selected by the Avs in the third round (78th overall round) in 2018. In the fourth round (109th overall round), Colorado decided on Tyler Weiss, the young striker of Mavericks design.
Ranta’s 18 goals rank second nationally behind Wisconsin sophomore, likely Hobey Baker Award winner Cole Caufield. Ranta, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, will no doubt make a joint decision with the Avs on where to play next season – the AHL’s Gophers or the AHL’s Colorado Eagles at Loveland.
Avs coach Jared Bednar said Friday that general manager Joe Sakic and GM assistant Chris MacFarland plan to take part in the Minnesota-Omaha game.
“I definitely wish our boys the best of luck,” Bednar said of the Avs’ prospects. “I know Newhook is having a really good season and I’ve seen some highlights on Sampo Ranta.”
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