First-round draft picks provide teams with an opportunity to transform their organization, especially when generational talents are at stake. Some players reach or even exceed their potential while others never fail. Between 2014 and 2018, the Colorado Avalanche added five players to the first round, four of whom are currently NHL players. A closer look at these players’ profiles reveals how the Avalanche’s first-round draft picks contributed to their recent success.
Martin Kaut
Martin Kaut designed the Avalanche with 16th overall place in the 2018 NHL Draft. Born in Brno from the Czech Republic, he has only played in North America for two years so far. He made his AHL debut for the Colorado Eagles in the 2018/19 season, scoring 12 goals and 14 assists in 63 games – a solid season for the 19-year-old forward.
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Kaut started for the 2019-20 season and played there for most of the year. In 34 games he scored 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists). The Avalanche called him on February 19 this year and he made his NHL debut against the New York Islanders.
After his debut, he was an integral part of the Avalanche line-up for the next nine games until the NHL paused the season. During this time he scored two goals and one assist, averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time per game. Of course, his NHL sample size is small, but it’s safe to assume that the chew will at least turn out to be a contributor to the Avalanche – most likely more – so that the first-round pick will be well worth it. He is currently loaned to HC Dynamo Pardubice in the Czech extra league.
Cale Makar
Much has been written about rookie defender Cale Makar since his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2019 postseason. He finished fourth overall in 2017 and scored a goal in his first game. He didn’t look back. Now he has established himself alongside Quinn Hughes as a top contender for the Calder Trophy.
It is obviously clear that Makar is the future defender for the avalanche. He has scored an impressive 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games that season and has shown no sign of slowing down after returning from injuries. He became the first defender in franchise history to win the 2020 Calder Memorial Trophy. The much-noticed view exceeded expectations. With his lead and alongside players like Samuel Girard and Ian Cole, the Avalanche seems to have the defensive core needed to win.
Tyson Jost
As one of the most intriguing players on this list, the 2016 Avalanche moved Tyson Jost to 10th place overall. He is a veteran striker who dominated during his year of study at the University of North Dakota, scoring 16 goals and 19 assists in 33 games over the 2016-17 period. Interestingly, he signed a three-year entry-level contract almost immediately after completing his college season and made his debut for the Avalanche on March 31, 2017. Apart from a few stations in the AHL (a total of 13 games), he has signed up over 200 games for the Avalanche in three seasons.
Tyson Jost, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr / The Hockey Writers)
Unfortunately, his earlier offensive success didn’t quite carry over to NHL production. He has 72 points in 208 games. Despite his underperformance, he has established himself as an important, versatile player for the Avalanche. He can center the third or fourth line, but also has the ability to play alongside top 6 strikers like Gabriel Landeskog or Nathan MacKinnon.
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Jost’s three-year entry-level contract expires after this season and he has yet to receive an offer from the Avs. While he hasn’t come up with numbers to match such a high range, he fits in well and has certainly given the Avalanche the depth it needs to be a competitor.
Mikko Rantanen
Like Makar, Mikko Rantanen has proven to be worthy of 10th overall in 2015. He has exactly 250 points in parts of five NHL seasons and has proven to be one of the most skilled strikers in the league. He stands at 6-foot-4,215 pounds, but that height and weight seems to vanish on the ice, where he skates like a Johnny Gaudreau.
Rantanen is one of the deadliest lines in the NHL along with MacKinnon and Landeskog. Even in her absence, he thrives and will continue to evolve into an elite NHL player by the age of just 23. Of course, he will play a vital role in the Avalanche’s success after signing a $ 9.25 million six-year deal in 2019.
Conner Bleackley
The last player on this list and certainly the biggest disappointment is Conner Bleackley, who moved the Avalanche to 23rd overall in 2014. He never qualified for the Avalanche and was sold to the Arizona Coyotes in 2016 before re-entering the NHL Draft that year.
Bleackley in the Memorial Cup 2016 (Rob Wallator / CHL Images)
There were relatively high expectations for the Centerman, but unfortunately Bleackley has yet to qualify for an NHL game. After a few years in the AHL, he now plays for the Maine Mariners in the ECHL. Of course, not all first-round draft picks become superstars, but the Avalanche front office almost certainly wishes they could repeat that pick.
Comparison of the avalanche with rivals of the division
Picks for the first round cannot be wasted if a team is to be successful. Four out of five Avalanche first-round picks from 2014 to 2018 are NHL players, an indication that those picks have been used well. How does the avalanche’s draft record for this period compare to opponents of the Central Division?
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The St. Louis Blues had four picks in the first round between 2014 and 2018. These include Robby Fabbri, Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas and Dominik Bokk. Fabbri and Thomas are NHL players while Bokk remains a promising prospect. Thompson has switched between NHL and AHL. Interestingly, only Thomas stays on the blues while the rest has been traded in for pieces like Ryan O’Reilly and Justin Faulk. Even so, the Blues first round picks either succeeded or were invaluable assets to attract key players to the team’s Stanley Cup win last season.
Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues (Jess Starr / The Hockey Writers)
During that time, the Dallas Stars had five first-round picks, including Julius Honka, Denis Gurianov, Riley Tufte, Miro Heiskanen and Ty Dellandrea. Gurianov and Heiskanen are currently playing for the Stars, while Honka is promoted to the Finnish Liiga league following a trade proposal. Tufte plays for the Stars’ AHL daughter, the Texas Stars, and Dellandrea played for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL last season. Currently, only two of the Stars’ picks are contributing NHL players.
The avalanche success
Given the Avalanche’s formidable drafts over the past five or six seasons, it’s no surprise they’ve risen to the top of the Central Division and Western Conference. Compared to the blues and the stars, the Avalanche’s picks have done just as well, if not better. Rantanen, Jost and Makar have established themselves as the core ingredients of the Avalanche, while Kaut stands ready to thrive if and when the NHL resumes. The Avalanche is knocking on the door of a deep playoff run, and their selection in the first round has been instrumental in the team’s success.
Nick Haydon reports on the Colorado Avalanche for The Hockey Writers. As an avid hockey fan, he loves to watch, talk and write about hockey. He strives to tell stories and provide insights and analysis with engaging content.
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