Get to know the Avalanche’s Round 2-7 Draft Picks

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – The Avalanche had, by many estimates, a great draft here in Vancouver. Of course, every team at the draft says “We couldn’t believe he was still on the board when it was our turn! We had him a lot higher!”

There is no question that the Avs hit a home run with Bowen Byram at No. 4 Friday night. Alex Newhook, too, looks like one hell of a prospect at No. 16.

So, what did Saturday bring in rounds 2-7? Obviously, it becomes more of a guessing game by this point. Odds are that some of the players the Avs took Saturday will never play in the NHL. Judging by what some of the hardcore draftniks are saying, though, Alan Hepple, Joe Sakic and Co. had a great weekend here.

Pumped Alex Beaucage went to @Avalanche one of my favourite players in the Q. Avalanche are killing this draft! #AvsNation

— Jordan Ellis (@JordanEllis33) June 22, 2019

I'm really happy with the Newhook pick, the closer the draft got the more I read about him and was dead set on him at 16 while thinking he probably wouldn't be there. Two great picks, what a nice job by Joe Sakic tonight. Colorado is going to be a terror.

— Avalanche Forever. (@citchmook) June 22, 2019

The Avs on Saturday took 6-foot-3, 196-pound defenseman Drew Helleson from the U.S. National Development team, who will also play at Boston College this fall – joining fellow Avs draftee Newhook. A native of Farmington, Minn., Helleson projects as a big, stay-at-home defenseman. Craig Button, draft guru, says this about the kid:

Craig Button’s Analysis

“Plays with a high level of confidence. Does it with the puck and physically and regardless of the challenges – he is not to be deterred.”

Projection: No. 4/5 Competitive Defenceman
Comparable: Connor Clifton

Here’s video I shot of Helleson talking about being an Av:

From Helleson: “I’m still shaking right now. It’s an unbelievable feeling. … I met with (the Avalanche) a few times this year and I thought my relations with them were (good). … This year, I played a lot against the other teams’ top forwards. I think that’s something I got pretty good at throughout the year.”

Avs head scout Alan Hepple said Helleson projects as a good skating, hard-hitting D-man, with “not quite the skill” of a Bowen Byram and other puck-moving D.

The rest of the Avalanche’s picks were:

Matthew Stienburg is the son of a former Quebec Nordiques player, Trevor Stienburg, who was drafted 15th overall by the Nords in 1984. Guess who was drafted after Stienburg in that draft? Uh, Stephane Richer, Claude Lemieux and Patrick Roy, for starters. Trevor Stienburg would go on to score eight goals in 71 career NHL games. Hey, he played in the Show at least. Today, he is head hockey coach at St. Mary’s University.

Here’s a good article that summarizes Matthew’s life and hockey career to this point. From the story:

“Mark Seidel is an independent scout and the owner of North American Central Scouting Inc. He has seen Stienburg play five times over the past two years and projects him to be a fifth- or sixth-round pick at the draft, but says he needs to get stronger. Like a lot of players that come out of St. Andrew’s, he understands the game,” Seidel says. “And I think when you’re getting a center into the National League draft like that, it’s something teams look for.”

Alex Beaucage, selected 78th, was a pick a lot of pundits liked. He’s a 6-1, 192 kid from the Q who scored 39 goals and 79 points in 68 games for Rouyn-Noranda. Here’s a pic I snapped of him right after being picked:

Here is a good article about Beaucage’s year with the Huskies, and his life in general. From the article and author Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News:

“Beaucage’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies take on the Halifax Mooseheads in the final after besting the Herd in the QMJHL championship series and the Memorial Cup round robin. Playing on a devastating line with Montreal Canadiens prospect Joel Teasdale and overager Peter Abbandonato, Beaucage exploded for 79 points in his second year with the Huskies, while notching a point-per-game during the playoffs.

“He’s a big kid and he improved a lot,” said coach Mario Pouliot. “He’s moving his feet more and is more physical on the forecheck. He’s really good with the puck and he has improved on making plays in motion and attacking the net. And he’s really good on the power play.”

Sasha Mutala, Luka Burzan and Trent Miner rounded out as the Avs’ final three picks. Mutala might be a good find at 140, as he had 21 goals with Tri-City of the WHL this past season. He’s a rugged kid supposedly who goes into the hard areas. Burzan scored 40 goals for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, so the kid has some potential offensively it would seem. Miner is a goalie with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, who had a .924 saves percentage 1.98 GAA with the Giants. Those numbers are certainly good.

Alan Hepple said the Avs “got beat up a little bit on our list” today, meaning some teams took players they wanted right before them. That might sound bad, but he implied the team just kept doing down their list from there and he had the universal scout take that he was happy with what he got.

“We still got some kids we liked,” Hepple said. “Overall, it all worked out.” Here’s some video I shot of Hepple’s summation of the draft, which includes a question of mine whether he thinks Bowen Byram can play in the NHL this coming season or not:

The Avs’ top draftees will be introduced Tuesday at the Pepsi Center.

OK, time for the drive back to Seattle for a redeye flight home tonight. Thanks for following along with the coverage this weekend. Let me know here in the comments what you think of how the Avs did.