For the second consecutive year, the Avalanche owns the No. 10 pick in the NHL draft. That number was golden last June, when Finnish forward Mikko Rantanen was surprisingly available and the Avs immediately selected the top-ranked European skater, who was expected to go in the top six.
Rantanen played only nine games with the Avs — primarily because the organization didn’t want to burn a year of his entry-level contract — but he led their American Hockey League affiliate in scoring, was their lone AHL all-star and captained Finland to the World Junior Championship gold medal. It was a divine season for Rantanen, 19, who is expected to play a top-six role for Colorado next season.