Avs select six players at 2016 draft
Colorado Chooses Three Forwards, Two Defensemen, One Goalie
The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club made six selections at the 2016 NHL Draft held Friday and Saturday at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
Following is a complete list of the Avalanche's selections at the 2016 NHL Draft.
# Rd Pick Player
1. 1 10 Tyson Jost
2. 2 40 Cameron Morrison LW Youngstown (USHL)
3. 3 71 Josh Anderson
4. 5 131 Adam Werner G Farjestad Jr. (Sweden)
5. 6 161 Nathan Clurman D Culver Academy (USHS)
6. 7 191 Travis Barron LW Ottawa (OHL)
Colorado picked three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender at this year’s draft. The Avs selected players from six different leagues, with one apiece coming from the British Columbia Hockey League, United States Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, United States High School and Sweden.
During the first round on Friday, the Avalanche selected forward Tyson Jost with the 10th overall pick. Jost, 18, was named the British Columbia Hockey League Most Valuable Player this past season after tallying 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 48 games for the Penticton Vees. His 62 assists led the BCHL, while his 104 points ranked third. Jost’s 2.17 points-per-game average was the highest in the league. The 5-foot-11, 191-pound center has committed to the University of North Dakota (NCHC) for this upcoming fall.
Jost captained Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he led the entire tournament in scoring with 15 points (6g/9a) in seven games. His 15 points established a Canadian record at that event, surpassing the previous mark set by Connor McDavid (14) in 2013. Jost was selected as the tournament’s “Best Forward” and was named to the All-Star Team.
With the 40th overall pick in the second round, Colorado tabbed Cameron Morrison from the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound left wing earned USHL Rookie of the Year honors and was named to both the All-USHL First Team and the USHL All-Rookie First Team after posting 66 points (34g/32a) in 60 games during the 2015-16 campaign. Morrison, 17, led all USHL rookies in games played, goals and points, while also tying for first overall in the league with eight game-winning goals.
Internationally, he skated with Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, where he tallied four points (1g/3a) in seven contests. Prior to joining Youngstown, Morrison spent the 2014-15 season with the Aurora Tigers of the OJHL, where he was named OJHL Rookie of the Year after recording 53 points (31g/22a) in 49 games. The Aurora, Ontario native is committed to the University of Notre Dame.
The Avalanche selected defenseman Josh Anderson from Prince George of the WHL with the No. 71 overall pick in the third round. The 6-foot-2, 221-pound blueliner recorded six points (1g/5a) and 86 penalty minutes in 39 games during the 2015-16 season. A native of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Anderson also spent the 2014-15 campaign with the Cougars, collecting four points (2g/2a) in 42 contests. Ranked No. 60 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Anderson, 17, previously represented Canada at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, skating in five contests for the Canada White squad.
Goalie Adam Werner was the Avs’ fifth-round selection (131st overall). The Mariestad, Sweden native spent the majority of the past two seasons playing for Farjestad Jr. (Under-20) in Sweden. The 6-foot-5, 198-pound netminder appeared in 30 regular season games in 2015-16 and posted a 2.49 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage, while also playing in five postseason contests. Werner, 19, made 28 appearances with the club in 2014-15, compiling a 3.01 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. On the international scene, Werner represented Team Sweden at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and carried a 3.39 goals-against average while posting one victory and one overtime loss in two contests.
During the sixth round Colorado tabbed defenseman Nathan Clurman from Culver Academy (U.S. High School). The Boulder, Colorado, native posted 16 points (4g/12a) and 29 penalty minutes in 20 regular season contests this past year. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound rearguard helped lead Culver Academy to the 2016 USA Hockey Youth Tier-1 18U Championship Game, tallying six points (1g/5a) in five contests along the way. Clurman, 18, is committed to the University of Notre Dame for the 2017-18 season.
The Avalanche’s final selection (seventh round, 191st overall) was 6-foot-1, 195-pound left wing Travis Barron. The Brampton, Ontario native has spent the past two seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League. He finished sixth on the team in scoring in 2015-16 with 37 points (13g/24a) in 60 games and then added six points (2g/4a) in five playoff contests. Barron, 17, led all Ottawa rookies in scoring with 21 points (12g/9a) in 64 games during the 2014-15 season.
-- Avalanche Press Release --
Eurolanche.com, Worldwide, eurolanche@eurolanche.com
26/06/2016 - 12:00
