The Colorado Avalanche had a real decision point sitting at No. 25 in the 2020 NHL Draft, and it’s the kind of swing that still makes you wonder what might have been.
Colorado used that pick on defenseman Justin Barron after the Philadelphia Flyers selected Tyson Foerster at No. 23 and the Calgary Flames grabbed Connor Zary at No. 24. Barron looked like a respectable choice, the sort of player who could settle in as a useful NHL blueliner even if he was never going to be mistaken for the next Cale Makar.
Then the Avalanche moved him after just two games in the Artturi Lehkonen deal.
And sure, that trade worked out. Avalanche fans can point to Lehkonen as a crucial piece of a Cup run, and that’s hard to argue with.
But the pick immediately after Barron belonged to the St. Louis Blues, who took Jake Neighbours at No. 26, and that’s where the alternate-history itch really starts.
Neighbours has already scored 20-plus goals twice, and he finished this past season with 15 after missing several games because of injury. He did that on a much less talented St. Louis roster, which only makes the thought experiment more interesting: what would he have looked like next to Nathan MacKinnon?
Maybe Colorado never lands Lehkonen if Barron isn’t in the mix. That’s the tradeoff. Still, it’s easy to see why the Neighbours name lingers as the one that got away for the Avalanche.
Barron’s own path has moved on, too. Montreal later sent him to Nashville for Alexandre Carrier, and he’s found a home with the Predators.
In 97 games there, Barron has 21 points. He’s not about to push Roman Josi out of the picture, but he’s only 24, and defensemen often need more time before you really know what they are.
So in the end, Colorado turned that draft slot into Lehkonen, and Lehkonen into something much bigger. But the possibility of having Neighbours instead of Barron remains one of those draft what-ifs that will stick around in Avalanche conversations.
In Other News...
Avalanche Face A Painful Roster Question Behind Cale Makar Deal
The Avalanche are heading into a familiar kind of offseason pressure point, one where a franchise cornerstone changes the math for everybody else. Cale Makar is in line for a contract extension, and with Colorado still trying to keep a championship-caliber group intact, the front office has to find room without dulling the roster around its best defenseman.
Artturi Lehkonen is among the names tied to that same cap puzzle, since his contract is also set to expire, and Colorado has already shown it is willing to make difficult moves. The trade of Valeri Nichushkin came as part of that broader balancing act, and Brock Nelson could also become part of the conversation if the Avalanche decide more space is needed to keep chasing the Stanley Cup while avoiding a roster squeeze. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Goalie Prospect Ivan Yunin Is Forcing A Bigger Conversation
Ivan Yunins stock has started to rise in a way that makes the Avalanches long-term goaltending picture a little more interesting. The 20-year-old draft pick, taken in 2024, landed 22nd in Mile High Hockeys 2026 Top 25 Under 25 rankings, a nod to how much he improved over the course of the 2025-26 season in Russias MHL. He spent the entire year in junior hockey, but the performance drew attention because the numbers and the athletic traits behind them both pointed in the same direction.
The bigger question now is what comes next for a goalie who looks ready for a stiffer challenge. Yunin led the MHL with eight shutouts and finished with a .919 save percentage and 1.79 goals-against average, production that suggests he has already outgrown one level. The expectation is that his next stop will come in a higher league, with the VHL viewed as the most likely landing spot and at least a possible KHL look also part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Fans Just Earned A Reputation Rival Fans Already Knew
Avalanche fans have never exactly been shy, and now there is a study to back up what plenty of opposing fan bases already suspected. Casino.orgs Rage-Bait Index ranked Colorado sixth overall and No. 1 in the Western Conference, crediting the kind of online behavior that tends to get under rival fans skin, from postgame bragging to the sort of memes that linger long after the final horn.
For a team that has spent recent seasons shaping itself into a steady playoff presence, that kind of reputation comes with the territory. Colorados roster stability has already given its supporters reason to look ahead with confidence, and the possibility of another strong run in 2026-27 only figures to make the chirping louder, even if the rest of the league would prefer a little less celebrating. [Read more 🡒]