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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayDENVER (KDVR) — Many people consider the Colorado Avalanche a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup with the current team of players the franchise has. They've proven they can win it once, and have shown signs of competitiveness since then.
Teams that find themselves in the same position as the Avs are in are not usually seeking the next superstar in the NHL Draft, but rather are looking for players that can have a positive influence on the team and impact the game in a specific manner, and who knows maybe develop into a superstar under the right conditions.
Without a lot of firepower in the 2025 NHL Draft, it was up to the Avs' scouts to find the hidden gems that can raise the level of the team.
Who did the Avalanche draft this year?
Francesco Dell'Elce, No. 77 pick
Dell'Elce is a defenseman from the University of Massachusetts, who was taken with the No. 77 pick in the draft. The lefty stands at 6'1" and 179 pounds.
He scored seven goals as part of a 24-point performance in 40 games this season.
Dell'Elce was skipped over in the past two drafts, but found his way to Colorado this year. He comes from familiar grounds as both Cale and Taylor Makar attended UMass.\
Linus Funck, No. 118
Funck comes from a place a bit further away than Massachusetts.
The Swedish defender just turned 18 on May 10 and already stands at 6'3."
Taken with the No. 118 pick, he was rated as the No. 39 European skater in his draft class by NHL Central Scouting.
He played for the U-20 Luleå junior team and recorded 28 points, including five goals, in 48 games with the team.
Nolan Roed, No. 214
The Avs' last pick in the draft was used on Nolan Roed, a 5'11" center.
Roed played last season with Tri-City in the United States Hockey League, where he recorded almost a point a game. He had 60 points in 61 games, and nearly half of his points came from goals, with 27.
He will be a freshman at St. Cloud State next year.