The Colorado Avalanche, like many NHL contenders, have a pretty thin prospect pool. That’s not the result of mismanagement. It’s just the outcome of years of trading away draft picks and prospects to land critical roster pieces.
The “win-now” mentality generally entails jettisoning potentially promising pieces for assured assets in the present. When thinking about the rationale behind these moves, it’s hard to blame general managers for taking this approach.
Even having the first-overall pick in any given draft does not ensure a franchise-altering player. The New York Islanders got extremely lucky with Matthew Schaefer this season.