Avalanche Prospect Egor Shilov Off to Red-Hot Start in QMJHL

The Colorado Avalanche's first pick in the 2026 NHL Draft is showing why they should be lucky he dropped to them in the second round.

An Avs flag is skated across the ice Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 NHL Draft saw the Colorado Avalanche once again start the draft without a first-round pick, with the pick being part of a package sent to the New York Islanders in exchange for Brock Nelson. It would later be passed into the hands of the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and finally the Vegas Golden Knights, who would use the pick.

Though the Avalanche were still projected to finish the night with nine draft picks, all of which were used to help bolster their prospect pool, something that was really slimmed out last season due to the amount of trades. 

This led to the Avalanche having to wait for pick #43 in the second round, where they would take Egor Shilov, a center who plays for the Victoriaville Tigres in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

In his pre-draft season, he finished with 32 goals and 50 assists for 82 points in 63 games, leading his team in assists and points while finishing second in goals. In the four playoff games they played, he finished with two goals and three assists for five points.

Coming in at 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds, while many highlighted his skill set for a center, some argued that his weaknesses outweigh his strengths.

At 6-foot-1, he isn't the biggest center, and paired with sub-par skating, especially for a team like the Avalanche, who are filled with excellent and speedy skaters, it seemed like a weird fit unless they could really help him grow his game.

Though it's really the strengths for me that stand out over any of his weaknesses. Skill-wise, everything is there for him; he arguably could be grouped with one of the most skilled players in the class.

Playmaking, solid defensive presence, his work on the face-off, paired with his offensive prowess and knowledge of the game, it's no wonder scouts couldn’t talk enough about the pure potential he has.

“One of the most dynamic power play producers in this draft class, Shilov is slippery holding pucks along the wall. He darts away from defenders at the last second, leaving open ice ahead of him, and with that extra time, he’s a dual threat to find open teammates or use his excellent stick and puck skills and quick release to get it to the net himself.” - Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet 

This season, he continues to show why the Avalanche are lucky to have drafted him where they are, and he's shown more growth in his game.

In 16 games this season, still with the Victoriaville Tigres but now the captain, he has 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points, all without taking a single penalty.

Egor Shilov, oh que c'était précis! 🎯

Quel tir pour son 2e de la rencontre, et ça va bien pour @TigresVicto dans le 1er match de leur histoire à Terre-Neuve : ça faisait 4-0!@Avalanche | #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/pWvFNU07lQ

— LHJMQ (@LHJMQ) October 24, 2026

He leads the team in goals and points while second in assists. With his production, the Tigres are currently second in the Western Conference and the league as a whole with 25 points, four points behind the Val-d’Or Foreurs for first in both categories.

A Major Step To Take Next Season

Despite being just 16 games into the season, Shilov will take a major step next season, leaving the QMJHL for the NCAA and joining Penn State University for the 2027-28 season, as he has committed to the team.

The NCAA has gained more and more attraction for young players wanting to make the jump to not only compete at a high level of the game, which we're seeing so many top-rated prospects come out of it, but also for the changes and growth of NIL deals.

This allows players to make some money before making a major jump to the AHL/NHL, which for many don’t pan out as well.

It's a major jump in competition to see how his game can match up against older and bigger players and see if it can grow even further, or whether he can strengthen some of his weaknesses to continue being an impactful player if he is not always putting up points.

We have seen that before with a fellow Avalanche prospect, Christian Humphreys, who, after being drafted, joined the University of Michigan but struggled to get playing time and wasn’t producing. 

So he left and joined the OHL Kitchener Rangers for a season and a half, grew his confidence back, and ended up winning the OHL Championship in his first full season.  Now back in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota, he has five goals and an assist for six points in eight games, leading the team in both goals and points.

“I have unfinished business there.”

Christian Humphreys explains why he’s headed back to the Big Ten with Minnesota next season. pic.twitter.com/ahYpIsCwUf

— Game Notes (@GameNotesBud) June 3, 2026

It’s another great start the Avalanche are surely excited to see, and will continue to do so as he takes that next step next year in the NCAA, especially if he continues to show off his talents and grow out his game in the coming years.