Avs NCAA and CHL Prospects Weekly Update

Playoffs....it's all about the playoffs!

While the Avalanche playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, the same cannot be said for several of their prospects. With conference tournaments complete, the 16-team NCAA Men's Division I hockey tournament field was announced on Sunday. Both Denver and St. Cloud State will be participating. In fact, Denver will be facing the team that dominated them in the opening round of last season's tournament, Boston College.

For 2015 draft watchers, this will be a nice opportunity to check out Noah Hanifin; who will be the first defenseman selected in the upcoming draft.

In addition to the available TV listings, all of these games are available on WatchESPN.

Times MST

Midwest Regional (South Bend, IN)

(1) Minnesota State vs (4) RIT -- Mar 28 -- 2:00 PM -- ESPNU/ TSN3

(2) Nebraska Omaha vs (3) Harvard -- Mar 28 -- 5:30 PM -- ESPN3

Northeast Regional (Manchester, NH)

(1) Boston University vs (4) Yale -- Mar 27 -- 12:00 PM -- ESPNU/ TSN2

(2) Minnesota Duluth vs (3) Minnesota -- Mar 27 -- 3:30 PM -- ESPNU/ TSN3

East Regional (Providence, RI)

(1) Miami vs (4) Providence -- Mar 28 -- 4:30 PM -- ESPNU

(2) Denver vs (3) Boston College -- Mar 28 -- 1:00 PM -- ESPN2/ TSN

West Regional (Fargo, ND)

(1) North Dakota vs (4) Quinnipiac -- Mar 27 -- 6:00 PM -- ESPNU/ TSN3

(2) Michigan Tech vs (3) St. Cloud State -- Mar 27 -- 2:30 PM -- ESPN3

***

Avs CHL Prospects Stats

(Regular Season Completed)

Player	Team	League	Position	GP	G	A	TP	P/M	PIM
Chris Bigras	Owen Sound	OHL	D	62	20	51	71	9	52
Conner Bleackley	Red Deer	WHL	C/RW	51	27	22	49	13	49
Mason Geertsen	Vancouver	WHL	D	69	13	25	38	3	107
Nick Magyar	Kitchener	OHL	RW	65	16	16	32	-7	18
Julien Nantel	Rouyn-Noranda	QMJHL	C	64	26	35	61	4	34
Alexis Pepin	Val-d'Or	QMJHL	LW	47	18	9	27	-4	56
Kyle Wood	North Bay	OHL	D	67	16	24	40	2	18
				GP	GA	GAA	SV%	W	L
Spencer Martin*	Mississauga	OHL	G	31	85	2.98	0.921	15	13
							OTL	SOL	SO
							1	0	1

*Out for the season

As Mason Geertsen and the Avalanche are in the midst of contract negotiations, other Avalanche CHL prospects are preparing for the post-season. Here are the opening round match-ups:

OHL

Kyle Wood -- North Bay vs Kingston -- Begins Mar 27

Nick Magyar -- London vs Kitchener -- Begins Mar 27

Chris Bigras -- Guelph vs Owen Sound -- Begins Mar 27

QMJHL

Alexis Pepin/ Julien Nantel -- Val-d'Or vs Rouyn-Noranda -- Begins Mar 27

WHL

Conner Bleackley -- Medicine Hat vs Red Deer -- Begins Mar 28