Colorado Avalanche trade down in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft

The Colorado Avalanche have traded down in the draft, sending their own second-round pick, at #58, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for picks #64 and #146, a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick. Colorado now has a chance to leave the 2018 NHL Draft with eight players.

With the 58th overall pick, the Penguins take Filip Hallander, a 6’2”, 187lbs 17-year-old centerman who played in Timra IK of the Swedish Allsvenskan League.

Here are a few scouting reports on the player the Avalanche could’ve taken.

Habs Eyes on the Prize

The big winger/centre has a lot of skills, and most of them will be on display when Hållander is in the offensive zone. He usually uses his big body to get results. He is a good forechecker, he drives hard to the net, and he can be used on the penalty kill where he blocks shots and fights hard to get on the puck and disrupt the attackers.

Canucks Army

His skating is lacking technique, looking really upright in his stance and sloppy in his stride, but he gets around well enough with it. Once he can get some further coaching and improve that technique, his powerful stride will give him so really good top speed and acceleration. That aforementioned sloppiness to his stride was something that was always noticeable but he got where he needed to go.

With the 64th overall pick, the Colorado Avalanche take Justus Annunen. Annunen is a goalie, a big goalie. At 18-years-old, he is already 6’4” 216lbs! Playing in Karpat’s system in the Finnish leagues, Annunen put up a .907 in 26 games as the starter for KArpat’s U20 team. in 12 playoff games, he posted a very impressive .935.

We will have a full scouting report on him in the very near future, so stay tuned!