Colorado Avalanche: Top 10 prospects entering the 2018 season

4. Vladislav Kamenev, C/LW [21 years old]

Stats (Milwaukee Admirals, AHL):10 gp, 3 g, 5 a, 8 p, 1 PPA, 1 SHA, 1 GWG, 23 SOG, .80 pts/g.

Stats (San Antonio Rampage, AHL): 7 gp, 0 g, 8 a, 8 p, 5 PPA, 12 SOG, 1.14 pts/g.

Stats (Colorado Avalanche, NHL): 3 gp, 0 g, 0 a, 0 p.

Another part of the Duchene trade, Vladislav Kamenev has become one of the best players in the pipeline for the Colorado Avalanche very quickly. After a successful season last year – 51 points in 70 games with the Milwaukee Admirals – Kamenev had a very good season, albeit one plagued by injury. Kamenev had eight points in ten games with the Admirals, eight points in seven games with the San Antonio Rampage and had some games with the Avalanche.

Kamenev has a very high ceiling, as he could be a top-six forward in the future. He’s produced well enough on the AHL level to prove that. He could anchor a line behind MacKinnon, even if he’s not the center. He moves the puck well, he’s big, and he’s always been seen as having a good ceiling (being a top 50 pick in 2014).

Kamenev is also NHL ready – he played games last season – and he has a very high likelihood of playing consistent minutes with the Colorado Avalanche. The only thing limiting him is his ceiling versus those of the players ahead of them. As good as he can be, a second-line left winger is not as good as a first-line right winger or top-four defensemen.