Sights and Sounds: NHL Draft Day One

Colorado’s big move was a trade down out of the first round.

It was a historic night for the NHL which held its 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Mile High Hockey was in attendance to take in the festivities, which was highlighted with a Colorado Avalanche trade down out of the first round.

The Sphere is a gorgeous venue with amazing views from all angles. The drama was the perfect stage for an unpredictable first round highlighted with Calum Ritchie’s Oshawa Generals teammate Beckett Sennecke going third overall to the Anaheim Ducks.

By the time the second half of the first round began to unfold there was clear activity at the Avalanche table. When Utah General Manager Bill Armstrong entered the picture with Colorado GM Chris MacFarland there was a sense that this was going to be a trade down opportunity because Utah is loaded with second and third round picks over the next several drafts, and that indeed was the case.

While it was disappointing to miss out on seeing the graphics package for Colorado and a prospect go up on stage and put on the Avalanche jersey, moving down is a good opportunity to get extra assets. The 38th overall is still a high second round pick, the 71st overall puts them back in the third round and the second round pick in 2025 is clearly reloading ammunition the organization can use to acquire NHL players either this summer or at next year’s trade deadline.

MacFarland and the scouts must have sensed good value left on the board in their decision to make the trade with Utah and there are many interesting names heading into the beginning of round two tomorrow morning.

Bright and early Saturday morning day two of the NHL draft will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with television coverage on NHL Network, Sportsnet and ESPN+. Colorado will have a busy second half of the day with eight picks in total following their trade starting with 38th overall in the second round and one in each round 3-7 plus an extra in the fifth and seventh rounds.