Grading Every NHL Team's 2023 Draft Class | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

With no picks in rounds two, three, and four, the weight of this draft for Colorado exclusively hinged on what they did with two first-round picks.

They did well with both. Calum Ritchie, who was 21st on B/R's board, was snagged at 27. Ritchie is one of the best players in this draft class when it comes to his away from the puck. He always knows how to position himself to support the puck, get open, close down lanes, cut off the opposition's options, and so on. He also has good hands and will once in a while hit the highlight reel with a toe-drag past a defender or a breakaway move. He won't be a star in the NHL, but he's the kind of player who can play on a star's line and maximize his output.

Next, Colorado took defenseman Mikhail Gulyayev at 30. The Russian defenseman ranked 20th on B/R's Big Board. He's a fantastic skater who can move the puck up the ice both with his feet and passing. Despite his smaller stature, he's a good one-on-one defender. He'll need some time to polish his game but he has a top-four upside as an offensive defenseman.