The Colorado Avalanche have made a habit of living in the later rounds of the NHL Draft, and that approach may have paid off again with the 128th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Colorado used that selection on Axel Elofsson, and there’s a real case that the club may have found one of the draft’s biggest bargains.
Elofsson checks in at 5-foot-11 and 179 pounds, and he spent his pre-draft season with Örebro HK U20 in the Swedish Hockey League’s U20 circuit. There, the puck-moving defenseman put up nine goals and 32 assists for 41 points. He also appeared in six games for Örebro HK’s main team, though he didn’t record a point.
What makes Elofsson so intriguing is the offense. He entered the draft conversation as one of the most gifted offensive defensemen available, with skating, vision and hockey sense all working together to drive play from the blue line. He can create room for himself, open up a shooting lane and fire the puck, or use that same space to find a teammate.
That upside is exactly why Colorado was comfortable taking him with its second pick in the fourth round.
“Elofsson has intrigued me for a few years now. He’s truly one of the most fascinating puck-movers in this draft class - he reminds me of Lane Hutson, but without the elite-level skating and hockey sense.
But with the puck, Elofsson is outstanding. The numbers have been incredible in both domestic and international competition.
When he’s at his best, he can lead the power play and create quality chances through traffic. He’s very elusive with the puck overall.
Defensively, though, he needs work, and he’s undersized at 5-foot-11.”
The flaws are part of the package, and they’re not small ones. Elofsson still has work to do away from the puck, and at times he tries to force plays instead of keeping things simple, which can lead to turnovers.
Size is another obvious question mark. At 5-foot-11, he’s not built like the typical NHL defenseman, and bigger forecheckers can make life difficult.
Even so, he hasn’t shied away from contact, and the next step is about adding strength as much as anything else.
His start to the year has only added to the intrigue. On loan with IK Oskarshamn in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-highest professional and semi-pro division, Elofsson has 19 assists and no goals in 18 games.
That puts him first on the team in assists and third in points. Across the league, his 19 assists rank second, and his six points place him sixth.
For an 18-year-old playing against older and stronger competition, that’s a major jump. The real question now is whether he can keep it going over the rest of the season, and then carry that momentum back to the SHL.
If he does, and if the defensive growth comes with it, Colorado could have a very interesting prospect on its hands over the next three years before bringing him to North America and eventually seeing him in action with the Colorado Eagles.
In Other News...
Avalanche Forward Depth Just Took Another Hit They Can't Easily Cover
Colorados forward depth has already been tested early, and Zachary LHeureux is the latest piece the Avalanche have had to park for the long haul. He has been out since Oct. 10 with an upper-body injury, and the move to long-term injured reserve retroactive to that date makes the clubs short-term options even thinner as it tries to keep its lineup intact.
Jared Bednar has already labeled the injury long-term, but he has not offered a specific return window, and LHeureux still has not resumed skating while he recovers off the ice. For a team that leans on its depth to survive the grind, the lack of a clear timetable only adds to the uncertainty around when, or how soon, Colorado can expect another forward back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Blue Line Is Forcing A Bigger Question Than Expected
Colorados blue line has become one of the more interesting pressure points in the early stretch, and Brett Kulak sits right at the center of it. His underlying numbers have not been especially kind, with a 47% Corsi rating and a negative expected goals impact pointing to more time spent defending than the Avalanche would like when he is on the ice. For a team that usually wants to tilt the rink the other way, that kind of profile stands out even more because it comes while the rest of the defense is still trying to settle in.
Josh Manson and Brent Burns have also had their share of struggles, which helps explain why Colorado has leaned so heavily on Kulak anyway. The bigger question now is less about one defensemans rough patch and more about how the Avalanche want to manage a group that has not yet given them a clean answer. If the current mix keeps putting the team in its own end, the conversation around this blue line is only going to get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Interest In Dylan Larkin Comes With One Huge Problem
The idea of Dylan Larkin landing in Denver has enough appeal to keep making the rounds, but the practical hurdles are still hard to ignore. Elliotte Friedman reported that while the Avalanche have interest, a trade with the Detroit Red Wings is not considered realistic right now because Colorado simply does not have the trade capital or salary cap space to make it work.
For anything to change, the picture would have to shift in a major way, starting with Detroit lowering its asking price. Until then, this is the kind of possibility that makes sense in theory for a contender looking to add a top-line center, but not in the current marketplace the Avalanche are working in. [Read more 🡒]