Why the Colorado Avalanche Prioritized Egor Shilov in NHL Draft
With their first-selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Colorado Avalanche made it a priority to select forward Egor Shilov at No. 43 overall.
Coming out of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Victoriaville Tigres, Shilov posted 82 points across 32 goals and 50 assists in his 2025-26 season for Victoriavillec — leading the club in both points and assists. In addition, he was also awarded the Michel Bergeron Trophy which is given to the QMJHL offensive rookie of the year. As such, the Avalanche got him off the board in order to add some offensive power to their prospect pool.
We have drafted forward Egor Shilov to the Colorado Avalanche organization! pic.twitter.com/CebQk6QG6l
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) June 27, 2026
The Avalanche made nine total selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, which was tied for the most selections Colorado has made since the Draft was reduced to seven rounds back in 2005.
Overall, Colorado's 2026 Draft Class would include three forwards — including Shilov — in addition to four defensemen and two goaltenders.
What Egor Shilov's Brings to the Avalanche's Prospect Pool
Shilov currently stands at 6'1", weighing 176 pounds and was the 19th ranked North American Skater in NHL Central Scouting’s final prospect rankings leading up to this year's draft.
Prior to joining the QMJHL (in which he also led the circuit in points among rookies while also earning a selection on the QMJHL All-Rookie Team), Shilov also played for one year throughout the United States Hockey League’s Green Bay Gamblers in 2024-25 and tallied 28 points with 11 goals and 17 assists.
The youngest current member of the Avalanche listed on their roster of forwards is Fedor Svechkov, who was born in 2003. At only 18, having been born in 2008 — Shilov very much represents the future of Colorado's offensive power on the ice.
In addition to his impressive ability to be able to consistently and effectively contribute to the statsheet, Shilov is known for his shot accuracy paired with a unique ability to produce offensive plays due to his vision and spacial awareness.
Prior to his future with Colorado in the NHL, Shilov was reportedly expected to return to Victoriaville in 2026-27 and has committed to Penn State University for 2027-28.
As recently reported by Colorado Avalanche On SI, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler recently put out a list of his top 100 NHL prospects, with not one Avalanche prospect making the cut. As such, the argument could be made that Colorado needed to put a higher priority on its future talent pool.
Drafting Shilov is a step in the right direction; his future with the Avalanche and contributing to Colorado's statsheet looks very bright.
Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.