Much has been written, including in this space, about how poorly the Avalanche have drafted in recent years, obviously a major factor in the organization's thin pool of legitimate prospects.
Now comes word from ESPN Insider Corey Pronman that the Avalanche won't sign 2014 third- and fourth-round picks Nicholas Magyar and Alexis Pepin.
Magyar, 20, is a 6-1, 194-pound right wing who spent the past three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League. He was taken with the No. 93 pick. He had 11 goals and nine assists in 49 games this past season (missing time because of a broken leg), with one goal in nine playoff games.
Pepin, 20, is a 6-2, 224-pound left wing who spent the past two seasons with the Val d'Or Foreurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He was selected with the No. 114 pick. Pepin had decent numbers this season with 23 goals and 24 assists in 62 games, with two goals and one assist in six playoff games.
As you'll recall, the Avalanche traded their first two picks in the 2014 draft -- forward Conner Bleackley (No. 23) and defenseman Kyle Wood (No. 84) -- to Arizona with Alex Tanguay for Mikkel Boedker.
Boedker is eligible for unrestricted free agency July 1.
The Coyotes, meantime, won't sign Bleackley and will receive a supplemental second-round pick in the June 24-25 draft.
"We're going to take the compensation pick," Coyotes general manager John Chayka told NHL.com. "There's a lot of value in that pick. That's not to diminish anything Conner has done or the type of player he is. He had a good Memorial Cup. He's a good player, but at this point (the pick) is a more valuable asset for us."
Well, I guess you could say the 2014 draft hasn't been a complete bust. The Avalanche recently signed Swedish defenseman Anton Lindholm, their fifth-round pick (No. 144), to an entry-level contract. They already had signed Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Julien Nantel, a seventh-round pick (No. 204).
The 2014 draft was the final one in Colorado for chief amateur scout Rick Pracey.
Four other players in the Avalanche organization -- left wing Dennis Everberg, center Joey Hishon, defenseman Maxim Noreau and goalie Roman Will -- have signed to play overseas.
The Avalanche haven't yet announced a replacement for fired San Antonio coach Dean Chynoweth.