Avalanche Select UMass Defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce, Two Others in 2025 NHL Entry Draft

The Avalanche made three selections on the second day of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce was taken No. 77 overall, defenseman Linus Funck at No. 118, and center Nolan Roed at No. 214.

Read More: Avs Still Have Work to Do After Coyle, Wood, and Brindley Trade

Dell’Elce, 20, was overlooked in both the 2023 and 2024 drafts. He just completed his freshman season at UMass, the same school Cale Makar played at for two years. Dell’Elce saw his stock rise quite a bit in college, where he scored seven goals and added 17 assists in 40 games. He’s known as a mobile, offensively-gifted blueliner and is listed at 6’1, 181 lbs.

Dell’Elce attended the Montreal Canadiens development camp in 2023 after not being selected. He’ll likely attend the Avs’ camp coming up on Tuesday.

The Avs acquired the pick they used to select Dell’Elce in Friday’s trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Colorado traded Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood for Gavin Brindley, a 2027 second-round pick, and the No. 77 overall pick.

Read More: Deen’s View: With Coyle and Wood Gone, Avalanche’s Main Focus Should Shift to Defense (+)

In the fourth round, the Avalanche used their own pick to take Funck, an 18-year-old Swedish native who played for the junior Swedish team last year. He had five goals and 28 points in 48 games.

The later pick, Roed, is also an overaged draft prospect. The native of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, turns 20 in October and will play for St. Cloud State University next year. In 2024-25, he recorded 27 goals and 60 points in 61 games. Roed is listed at 5’11, 185 lbs.

Read More: Deen’s Daily: MacKinnon Has Had Enough; MacFarland Talks Coyle, Wood Trade; Marner to Vegas?!

The Avalanche had just two of its picks remaining before acquiring another on Friday. The other five were all dealt away.

They traded their 2025 first-round pick to Philadelphia in the Ryan Johansen and Sean Walker trade. Their second-round pick was sent to Washington for Lars Eller more than two years ago. Colorado’s third-round pick was sent to Nashville for Yakov Trenin. The fifth was traded to San Jose in the Mackenzie Blackwood deal, and the sixth went to Nashville in the deal for Scott Wedgewood.