The Colorado Avalanche made a strategic move in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft by picking center Egor Shilov with the 43rd overall selection. This marks their first pick in this year's draft, and they've chosen a player with promising potential.
Egor Shilov, an 18-year-old talent from Tyumen, Russia, has already made waves in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his debut season with the Victoriaville Tigres, Shilov notched an impressive 32 goals and 50 assists, culminating in 82 points over 63 games. His performance has certainly caught the eye, and while he'll be returning to the Tigres for another season, he's already looking ahead to joining Penn State in the 2027-28 season.
Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 177 pounds, Shilov is a left-shot forward who began his North American journey in the 2023-24 season. After a stint in AAA hockey, he moved up to the USHL, adding to his already diverse experience with four seasons of play in Russia.
The Avalanche secured this pick through a trade deal that sent Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets. With Shilov's selection, the Avalanche are clearly looking to bolster their future lineup with a player who has a knack for finding the back of the net and setting up his teammates.
His journey through various leagues and his commitment to further development at Penn State highlight a player with both skill and ambition. Keep an eye on Shilov as he continues to develop his game and make his mark in the hockey world.
In Other News...
Joe Sakic Just Sent Another Jolt Through The Avalanche Roster
The Avalanche kept the offseason moving in a big way around the 2026 NHL Draft, adding nine players while Joe Sakic continued to reshape the roster through a string of moves. Colorado also dealt Ivan Ivan to the Boston Bruins for Fabian Lysell, another sign the front office is still trying to balance short-term roster stability with longer-term upside.
Brent Burns coming back for another season added a familiar veteran layer to the mix, but the larger picture is still very much in motion. With Sakic active in the market and the Avalanche making multiple deals, the roster looks far from finished, and the next move could say a lot about how Colorado sees its window right now. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Just Made A Makar Move Fans Will Want To See
The Avalanche kept a familiar name in the fold by signing forward Taylor Makar to a two-year contract that runs through the 2027-28 season. It is the latest step in a first full professional year that saw him move between Colorado and the Colorado Eagles, with the 2025-26 season giving him a taste of both NHL and AHL duty as he worked his way into the organizations plans.
Makars background already gives the deal extra interest around the team. The younger brother of defenseman Cale Makar came to pro hockey after college stops at the University of Maine and UMass-Amherst, and his development has been watched closely ever since he entered the Avalanche system. His first year also carried him into a meaningful spring run with the Eagles, which only adds to the sense that Colorado sees a player worth keeping close as his next chapter begins. [Read more 🡒]
Another Avalanche Linked Pick Just Took An Unexpected New Turn
A pick tied to Colorados draft future has already taken on a different look after a fresh move in Vancouver. Nashville added winger Nils Hglander from the Canucks for a third-round pick in 2029, giving the Predators another young piece to sort into their lineup while Vancouver picked up draft capital and some cap relief.
For Avalanche fans, the wrinkle is less about where Hglander landed than how a previously connected asset keeps changing hands. Hglander is under contract through the 2027-28 season, and the move gives Nashville a player whose recent season was shaped by an ankle injury and a steep dip in production after a more productive year before that, making this one of those deals that could still look very different down the road. [Read more 🡒]