Colorado Avalanche: Top 10 prospects entering 2020
8. Sasha Mutala
Acquired: 2019 NHL Draft (Round 5, 140th overall pick)
Age: 19 (turns 20 on May 6)
Position: Right Wing
Stats (WHL): 62 games, 28 goals, 39 assists, 67 points
Sasha Mutala was a late-round pick of the Avalanche in the 2019 draft. At the time, I thought he was about as interesting as you could get in a late-round pick because of his raw ability that hadn’t yet translated to points. Mutala’s made me look smart this season because that raw ability has translated into points.
His production is even more impressive once you realize how bad his junior team has been. Mutala leads the Tri-City Americans in points by 23, in goals by 11, and in assists by five. I’d like to see him dominate more, but it’s hard not to be impressed with his well-rounded game.
Mutala has the upside to be a top-nine forward in the NHL. He’ll probably need to be a bit sheltered, but I think he should be able to produce enough to justify being sheltered. At the very least, he should be a very useful depth forward.
7. Nikolai Kovalenko
Acquired: 2018 NHL Draft (6th round pick, 171st overall pick)
Age: 20
Position: Right Wing/Left Wing
Stats (KHL): 54 games, 10 goals, 11 assists, 21 points
Nikolai Kovalenko is an interesting prospect. I’m a tad bit higher on him than most, but I think he’ll justify my faith in him if he comes over to North America. His overall game is impressive, as he’s been one of the KHL’s better players under the age of 21.
Kovalenko’s speed and skill aren’t overwhelming, but he’s got enough of both to be effective. It’ll be interesting to see how well both translate over to North America. Don’t let his frame (5’10” and 185 pounds) fool you. He sure as heck doesn’t play like he’s small.
Kovalenko wins puck battles despite his size and pedestrian skating. He’s got what it takes to be a quality third-line forward in the NHL, but he could also wind up just being a depth forward. It all depends on how well his game does in North America.