The Colorado Avalanche had to wait until pick No. 43 to make their first selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, but that delay brought them to Egor Shilov, a center from the Victoriaville Tigres in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
Colorado entered the draft without a first-rounder after that pick was included in the deal that sent Brock Nelson to the New York Islanders. The selection then moved from the Islanders to the St.
Louis Blues, then the Anaheim Ducks, and finally the Vegas Golden Knights, who used it. Even so, the Avalanche still came away with nine draft picks, all of them used to add to a prospect pool that had been thinned out by last season’s trades.
Shilov arrived in the second round with plenty of production behind him. In his pre-draft season, he put up 32 goals and 50 assists for 82 points in 63 games, leading Victoriaville in assists and points while finishing second on the team in goals. He added two goals and three assists for five points in four playoff games.
At 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds, Shilov drew mixed reviews from scouts. Some pointed to the size and skating concerns, especially for an Avalanche organization built around fast, skilled skaters. But the offensive upside is what keeps him in the conversation.
The skill package is obvious. He can make plays, he handles himself well defensively, he’s strong on faceoffs, and he brings real offensive touch and hockey sense.
Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet summed up that upside this way: “One of the most dynamic power play producers in this draft class, Shilov is slippery holding pucks along the wall. He darts away from defenders at the last second, leaving open ice ahead of him, and with that extra time, he’s a dual threat to find open teammates or use his excellent stick and puck skills and quick release to get it to the net himself.”
That production has carried into this season. Through 16 games, still with Victoriaville and now wearing the captain’s letter, Shilov has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points, and he has done it without taking a single penalty. He leads the Tigres in goals and points and sits second in assists.
Victoriaville has ridden that start to a strong place in the standings, sitting second in the Western Conference and second in the league with 25 points, four behind the Val-d’Or Foreurs for first in both categories.
Shilov’s path will soon shift again. He has committed to Penn State University and will leave the QMJHL for the NCAA for the 2027-28 season. The move comes as the NCAA continues to draw more young players who want high-level competition and the chance to benefit from NIL deals before making the jump to the AHL or NHL.
It also gives Shilov a new stage to test his game against older, bigger competition and see how much more he can add. The Avalanche have seen a similar route work out before with another prospect, Christian Humphreys.
After being drafted, Humphreys went to the University of Michigan, struggled for ice time and production, then moved to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers for a season and a half, rebuilt his confidence, and won the OHL Championship in his first full season. He is now back in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota, where he has five goals and an assist for six points in eight games, leading the team in both goals and points.
For Colorado, Shilov’s hot start is exactly the kind of development it wants to see. And with another step coming next year, the Avalanche will be watching closely.
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