The Colorado Avalanche have added another intriguing piece to their prospect pipeline, as forward Max Curran has committed to play at UMass next season. The 2024 fifth-round pick is wrapping up his current campaign with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL, and his development arc is starting to look like one Avalanche fans should keep a close eye on.
Curran’s journey to this point has been anything but conventional. Hailing from Praha, Czechia, he made the leap from the Czech U-18/19/20 leagues to North America, joining the Tri-City Americans for two seasons.
His first year was relatively quiet on the scoresheet - five goals and 27 assists for 32 points - but what followed was a breakout campaign that put him on the map. Curran exploded for 22 goals and 52 assists, finishing with 74 points and showcasing the kind of offensive upside that NHL teams are always searching for in the later rounds of the draft.
This season, after a summer trade sent him to the Oil Kings, Curran has continued to build on that momentum. Through 31 games, he’s tallied 14 goals and 27 assists, good for 41 points - ranking fourth on the team in both assists and total points. That kind of production, especially in a new system and environment, speaks volumes about his adaptability and playmaking instincts.
But Curran’s rise hasn’t just been limited to junior hockey. He also earned a spot on Czechia’s roster for the recent World Junior Championship, where he helped his country capture a silver medal. In seven games, he posted one goal and four assists, including a standout three-point performance against Team Canada in the semifinals - a game that turned heads and further solidified his status as a prospect on the rise.
Now, with his commitment to UMass, Curran is set to take the next step in his development. The Avalanche have had success with players coming through the UMass pipeline before, and this move gives Curran a chance to refine his game in the NCAA, where the pace is high and the systems are tight. It’s a setting that should challenge him to round out his two-way game while continuing to tap into his offensive creativity.
For Colorado, this is a prospect worth watching. While the Avalanche have been picking later in drafts due to their recent success and have dealt away some future assets in pursuit of another Stanley Cup, players like Curran represent the kind of value picks that can quietly become difference-makers down the line.
He’s already shown he can adjust to new leagues, elevate his play, and perform on the international stage. Now, the spotlight shifts to how he’ll translate that momentum into the college game.
The road from fifth-round pick to NHL contributor is never easy, but Max Curran is starting to look like a player who could beat the odds. Keep his name in mind - the Avalanche certainly are.