Colorado Avalanche Trade OUT Of NHL Draft’s 1st Round | Chris MacFarland Interview
is a move like that is the way that the board shook out or just trying to you know add as much draft Capital as you can this year next I I think a little bit of both um you know it’s no secret that we’ve spent you know quite a bit of draft Capital the last few years so you know we felt it was it was pretty good value uh dropping down 13 or 14 spots to pick up a second and third this year and a second next year especially considering you know we didn’t have a first second or third um next year so we we felt that value was was was was was pretty good so I imagine the caliber of player that you’re looking for kind of what you’re saying you’re hoping that just 13 spots later You’ be able to get someone that’s that’s still in that range yeah I mean we we like the Clusters that we’ve that we’ve got going we there was uh you know some guys we certainly like there it’s you know it’s pick 24 there’s some good hockey players but there’s still a lot of good hockey players on the board so hopefully we’ll uh we’ll we’ll find one at 38 when did you know you wanted to trade the pick was that something that just unfolded as players fell off the board or did the offer just come in I I think it’s I think you’re always preparing for scenar tradeback scenarios sometimes trade up if um you know if you have if you have the capital behind you cuz it often you know costs you um you know picks behind your pick to move up so I think this year our Focus was a little bit more on on tradeback scenarios you there’s only 3 minutes on the clock and you can’t take a timeout in the first round as you guys know so you kind of have to you know Tee It Up and then you know you know you’re checking in as the as the the names get off the board and and and a most times it’s you know if my guy is there or you know like one or two guys that are there then then the other teams can kind of get let you know if they’re serious or not and you know we had a few we had a few of those types of calls going on the the other jams were great and we were able to find that one with Utah so did you actively make those calls or did they reach out you both how does the window that this team is in wanting to win out influence your approach to to the draft um I think it’s it’s at the draft table or in general in general yeah I think when you’re in win now mode it’s it’s a you know we’re trying to win now mode and be competitive it’s a fine line right because when you’re you’re looking for entrylevel players or low aav players to supplement your star power and one of the key ways to get entry-level players is is through the draft and quite often high in the draft whether it’s you know first second third round so when you’re consistently moving that then you really got to hit you know on a late round pick or a college free agent so it’s a it’s a really fine line that you got to kind of be mindful of you know both things at the same time if you can um you know so it was you know I think it was important that we try and recoup uh you know some of that Capital uh that we’ve moved out a lot of in the last few years in you know in an effort uh to try and win which which our teams deserve so how much does it feel like that clock is accelerated like you said you only have 3 minutes per pick you guys are trying to get everything done how much of a crunch does it feel like at the table when you guys are trying to get a deal like that done I I think the communication is is key with with the other teams and Trust right you know if you know if we were you know dealing with somebody and and and we’re out letting the other team kind of know is is something I think we you know we try and do and the other teams do as well so it’s uh it’s just important to to be trans transparent I think and and earn trust with the other jams and and how you do your business and um like I said we had you know we had a few of those types of calls going on and the guys were great to deal with you guys were able to lock up Casey midad the other day um I know he’s a restricted for agent but was it important to get that done just to kind of plan the rest of the summer knowing that he was going to be a bigger number yeah I mean it’s It’s always important I think the the timing of it you know it’s always good to get those out of the way right we knew we knew pretty much when we acquired them what the ARB years looked like um and to get that you know that UFA extra UFA year at basically the ARB number was was pretty important to us so we felt that was that was really good value um and made sense for the player too so to have him you know locked up with three years with you know Callum Richie you know developing really well as a another you know hopefully top six center we feel you know really good um you know uh locking Casey up and hopefully he has a big summer and and a a full training camp and and has a gets off to a good start next year but we’re we’re good glad to have that one done I you talked about how Val situation is a challenge obviously sort of how it fluctuates the cap as a challenge but it I guess are you prepared to maybe go over 88 like and then just figure it out whenever Val’s ready to come back you you really can’t go over 88 it’s there there’s sort of two tracks that you can go on like last year we knew Landy was out for the year you know this year thankfully we don’t know that so how we how we handle Landy situation we know Val is going to be reinstated you know at some point you know bar you know assuming everything goes good which which obviously that’s what we’re that’s what we’re hoping for for him and and for us so you know at some point in November it’s not like we can go and spend $6 million and then go okay we got to get rid of $6 million 3 weeks into this season that’s that’s that’s not that’s not how it works so you know and with landy’s situation it’s you know it’s equally as risky he’s he’s a player that will he be back in training camp October 1st November 1st we don’t know but if he is and we spend money then we’ve got to get rid of that money because the second Captain’s ready to go back he’s going back and we have a lot of guys with no trade protection so um it’s not it’s it’s it’s not simple to create those Escape hatches and and most teams when they know you need to do something it’s yeah it’s not not the best situation to be in so we’ve got to be mindful and careful of those situations do they present challenges for us yes but to get the captain back and to get a player like Val back potentially those are those are two pretty special hockey players and and obviously there’s hurdles that have to be cleared and and I’d be lying to you if I said it’s not a it’s not a challenge it’s not something that we that we have to think about heavily every day here between now uh and the early parts of free agency we do but it’s our reality Alan Walsh uh set on a podcast that both sides you guys and Drew ‘s Camp want to get something done you know with the clock kind of dwindling a bit is that something you guys are still working to hopefully try to bring back yeah we’ll we’ll continue to stay in touch again it’s a it’s a it’s a challenging one right Cu uh Jonathan Jan had a very very good season last year um and he’s a very good hockey player and we are we are cap challenged so there’s there’s those competing factors right that both parties want to get it done but you know finding that sweet spot is is the challenge and how you know how we go about it over the next 48 hours and can it get across the Finish Line I don’t know I I I do think that you know Jonathan was great for us but I also think the Avalanche were were great for Jonathan as well so um we’ll we’ll certainly stay in touch with Alan Walsh through the weekend and and we’ll see what happens this was we fli and Stein’s last draft with the ABS what are the next steps and what are you looking for in the next director of vur scouting that’s something we’ll look at after the draft and free agency and and and tackle that once we get through uh the early parts of of next week what you think of this venue pretty pretty cool we had the we had the opportunity of of visiting here during uh uh um a family trip trip sorry in the fall and uh it’s got a behind the scenes look so it’s it’s or some of us our second time here it’s it’s Unique but it’s pretty cool what are your thoughts on Nathan McKinnon finally locking up a heart uh awesome so so happy for him uh proud of him like I like I’ve said Nate’s a a phenomenal hockey player in Colorado and our fans are and all of us really are fortunate to to be able to watch him do what he does on a daily BAS basis and um I know he’s a team first guy and he’s you know he’s about winning and stuff but um you know he he’s deserved it you know he’s a he’s a world class franchise player so I I was really happy to see his name barked out and then you know the Ted Lindsay one is is you know voted on by the players that that’s that’s pretty special too when when you’re voted on by your peers uh that that’s got that was a pretty good night for him and and the organization yesterday Andrew goano retired he said he had the option of potentially coming back decided to stop playing I guess what kind of future do you foresee him having in the front office and I guess just speak about his career in general well I mean his career speaks for itself I mean he was a first round pick he he he had to earn everything he got he he sort of transformed his game into becoming this tenacious reliable all-around type of player right that was trusted everywhere he went and to play the the game the amount of games that he played and the health that he did it just go to show you that doesn’t happen by accident you know he was you know the guy that diligently prepares every day for years and I think that’s how you do what he did it’s not like he started at 30 or later on in life he he was being uh dialed in from a from a young age and I think that’s that’s a great lesson and I think Andrew is going to provide us with immense value and whether it’s you know touching our our forward prospects and um scouting side and and and learning the business and I think he’s going to he’s going to attack this side of uh his life the way he did as a player so I think this guy is the limit for cogs um and in whatever path he chooses to take and we’re lucky to have him continue on the journey with us two last ones guys there have been other guys recently who like they retire and then they kind of dabble is that and and then figure out what they want is that sort of the plan with with cogs to like like basically like have like sit in on a bunch of different meetings and kind of put his hands in a bunch of different places and figure out what he’s good at and what he wants to do I I think I think we we certainly talked about the role um you know that that we think is is is really useful I think he’s got a lot of value and and he walks the walk he you know he talks the talk and when you know when he speaks if a young Prospect is uh is smart they’re they’re going to listen this is a guy who played over a thousand games and missed like 30 in his career so he’s got uh he’s got a lot of value so um but he’ll you know yeah he’ll certainly you know his tentacles will reach you know a lot of different things he’s a he’s a player with with recent contacts right for for us and um touch the pro pro stuff and college scouting and and go up the road with the Eagles it’s you know it’s an infinite way that he can add value for for our hockey Ops Department that’s a veteran that leaves the locker room are you guys in communication with Jack Johnson to potentially come back for another year yeah he’s like any of our other free agents you know there’s there’s likely some that are that are obviously going to be you know touch to to engage on I think Jack is a a veteran I think he knows you know you know kind of what he is and he’s played really well for us so we we haven’t shut the door on on anything and and with any of our guys really there’s some are that some that like I said would be tough to to figure out but um you know we know Jack and and Jack knows us so uh we’ll we’ll see what happens over the next little bit with de camp with de Camp opening next week what are you most looking forward to seeing out of Cal Richie who we didn’t get to see last summer just to see him on the ice and healthy I think I think this is a a really big summer for for cal um to make strength games you know we obviously saw what what he could do when healthy uh he exceeded you know to be honest what we were we were’re hoping for a a dominant year in junior uh right-handed skilled centerman so we just want to see him you know have a big summer he wasn’t able to have a you know a summer last year rehabbing from injury this this summer is is going to be one of work and and grinding to get stronger and be ready to come in and compete at his first rookie camp and then main Camp which I think again is will be infinitely important for him and and for us I think next week it’s it’s just a good opportunity to see all of our all of our young guys but uh know the rookie Camp is when the temperature gets turned up a little bit so we’ll we’ll look forward to that but um thankfully he’s healthy and hopefully have a really good summer thank you guys
The Colorado Avalanche had the 24th overall pick at the NHL Draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas, but traded the pick to the Utah Hockey Club for later picks. Avs GM Chris MacFarland met with the media to discuss why the team looked to trade the pick, an update on Jonathan Drouin’s contract talks, and Nathan MacKinnon winning the Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies at the NHL Awards.
