The Colorado Avalanche used the 2018 NHL Draft to strengthen their offense and presence in net, drafting five forwards, two goalies and only one defenseman at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday and Saturday.
2018 NHL Draft picks | |||||
# | Round | Pick | Player | Position | Team (League) |
1 | 1 | 16 | Martin Kaut | RW | Pardubice (Czech) |
2 | 3 | 64 | Justus Annunen | G | Karpat (Finland) |
3 | 3 | 78 | Sampo Ranta | LW | Sioux City (USHL) |
4 | 4 | 109 | Tyler Weiss | LW/C | U.S. National Team Development Program |
5 | 5 | 140 | Brandon Saigeon | C | Hamilton (OHL) |
6 | 5 | 146 | Danila Zhuravlyov | D | Irbis Kazan (Russia Jr.) |
7 | 6 | 171 | Nikolai Kovalenko | RW | Loko Yaroslavl (Russia Jr.) |
8 | 7 | 202 | Shamil Shmakov | G | Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (Russia Jr.) |
Colorado's eight selections during this year's draft was the most since making eight selections at the 2010 NHL Draft.
With the teams' first pick of the draft, the Avs took Martin Kaut, an 18-year-old right wing that spent the 2017-18 campaign with HC Dynamo Pardubice, the top league in the Czech Republic. He recorded 16 points (9g, 7a) in 38 games.
The Avs traded their No. 58 pick in second round to the Pittsburgh Penguins and acquire their No. 64 and 146 pick in return. Here are some quick facts about the following seven draft picks of Day 2 at the NHL Draft.
No. 64 - Justus Annunen - G
- 2017-18 Karpat (Finish junior league)
- 2.31 goals-against average
- .907 save percentage
- 6-foot-4, 216 pounds
- 18 years old
No. 78 - Sampo Ranta - LW
- 2017-18 Sioux City (USHL)
- 37 points (23g, 14a) in 53 games
- 6-foot-2, 198 pounds
- 46 points (29g, 17a) in 83 USHL contests
- Naantali, Finland native
- Committed to Univ. of Wisconsin
- 18 years old
No. 109 - Tyler Weiss - LW/C
- 2017-18 U.S. National Team Development Program
- 31 points (12g, 19a) in 53 contests
- 60 points (20g, 40a) in 115 career contests with US NTDP
- 5-foot-11, 150 pounds
- Raleigh, N.C. native
- Commited to Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha
- 18 years old
No. 140 - Brandon Saigeon - C
- 2017-18 Hamilton Bulldogs (Ontario Hockey League)
- 70 points (35g, 35a) in 65 games last season
- 6-foot-2, 194 pounds
- 25 points (18g, 7a) in 21 games to help Hamilton win R. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions
- Grimsby, Ontario native
- 20 years old
No. 146 - Danila Zhuravlyov - D
- 2017-18 Irbis Kazan of Russia's junior league (MHL)
- 18 points (9g, 9a) in 28 contests last season
- Played 11 games for Bars Kazan in Russia's minor league (VHL). Tallied two points (1g, 1a)
- Nizhny Novgorod, Russia native
- 6-foot, 163 pounds
- 18 years old
No. 171 - Nikolai Kovalenko - RW
- 2017-18 Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
- 31 points (10g, 21a) in 33 games last season
- 12 points (1g, 11a) in 13 postseason contests
- MHL championship
- Two seasons in KHL with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
- Raleigh, N.C. native
- Son of former Avalanche forward Andrei Kovalenko
- 18 years old
No. 202 - Shamil Shmakov - G
- 2017-18 Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL)
- 2.03 goals-against average in 51 contests
- .932 save percentage in 51 contests
- 6-foot-6, 192 pounds
- 18 years old
