Avalanche trades out of first round of NHL draft, acquiring three picks

LAS VEGAS — The Colorado Avalanche began Friday short on draft capital after years of making trades in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

Chris MacFarland began changing that late in the first round of the NHL draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The Avs general manager turned the No. 24 pick in the draft into three selections by making a trade with the Utah Hockey Club. The Avalanche traded No. 24 to Utah for pick Nos. 38 and 71 in the 2024 draft and a second-round selection in the 2025 draft.

McFarland and the Avs had a busy 2023 NHL draft as well, trading for centers Ryan Johansen and Ross Colton while landing center Calum Ritchie (No. 27 pick) and defensemen Mikhail Gulyayev (No. 31), who are clearly the top two prospects in the organization.

Beyond those two and former University of Denver defenseman Sean Behrens, the Avs have one of the thinnest collections of prospects in the league. This deal could infuse multiple players who would slot in with Behrens as the next tier of prospects for the club behind Ritchie and Gulyayev. Or it could provide the club with more assets to use in trades to immediately improve the NHL roster.

Rounds two through seven of the 2024 NHL draft are Saturday morning in Las Vegas. The Avs now have pick Nos. 38, 71, and 121 in rounds two through four, plus five selections in the final three rounds.