Who will the Colorado Avalanche take 1st overall? Depending on which scouting report you look at, Nathan MacKinnon, Seth Jones, or Jonathan Drouin will hear their name first at the NHL draft in New Jersey.
You can make an argument for each of these players, but only one of them can be the top pick. Hockey Prospectus has Drouin ranked #1. Central Scouting and Craig Button have Seth Jones listed as their top player. And Nathan MacKinnon tops the charts over at ISS. So, who is the best player?
Things changed in Colorado the moment they hired Patrick Roy. As Head Coach of the Quebec Remparts, Roy watched MacKinnon and Drouin light up the QMJHL. Specifically last year when Halifax rebounded from an 0-3 deficit in the playoffs to win 4 straight games against his team.
While the dynamic duo in Halifax posted similar numbers, I think Nathan MacKinnon is the best player now and will have the biggest impact in the NHL. At 6′ 183lbs MacKinnon’s lower body is solid and he’s such a powerful skater. His determination to make something happen every shift is what sets him apart from everyone else. MacKinnon’s ability to elevate his game when it matters most is also extremely impressive.
- 5G 8A -13pts in 7 playoff games head-to-head with Mikhail Grigorenko
- 5G-6A-11pts in 5 games at the Ivan Hlinka including a hat trick in the Gold Medal game
- 7G-6A-13pts in 4 games at Memorial Cup including a 5 point game in the final
The Colorado Avalanche have 3 good centers in Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Relly, and Paul Stastny. If the Avs draft MacKinnon, I suspect they’ll start him at right wing to help ease his transition into the NHL. Playing on a line with Landeskog and Duchene will give him an opportunity to make an impact in his rookie season and for many years going forward.
Despite the Avs obvious need for a defenseman, even drafting one as good as Seth Jones won’t provide them an immediate impact. It might take at least 3 or 4 seasons before a stud like Jones reaches his full potential. Colorado is better off trading Stastny (UFA in 2014) or O’Reilly (RFA in 2014) for an experienced top-4 defenseman to improve their blueline ASAP. Basically, when you have the 1st overall pick, it’s hard to go wrong drafting the best center available.
@NateInVegas
LVD Hockey 