Colorado Avalanche select Luka Burzan 171st overall

The Colorado Avalanche used their seventh selection at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday afternoon to pick up Brandon Wheat Kings center Luka Burzan, choosing the 19-year old over-ager with the 171st overall pick.

Burzan benefitted from a trade from the Moose Jaw Warriors to Brandon in the middle of the 2017-18 season, getting a bump from a depth role in Moose Jaw to a more favorable offensive spot with the Wheat Kings due to a lack of a deep forward corps on his new roster. It paid off, with his numbers taking a massive jump; he went from just 19 points in 42 games with Moose Jaw before the trade to 21 points in 30 games once he joined Brandon. He kept up that trend this past season, finishing second in scoring on the team with 40 goals and 78 points in 68 games during the regular season.

The Avalanche have picked up every position but a goaltender with their wealth of offerings at the 2019 draft, grabbing defender Bowen Byram fourth overall before getting center Alex Newhook 16th, and taking one more defender and three more forwards in the second through fifth rounds before selecting Burzan.