The question during an NHL draft from fans will always be, “When will these kids play?” It is a valid question. Few players make the jump from the draft to the NHL right away. Players drafted outside of the first couple of rounds typically may never play in the NHL. Let’s look back at the 2024 Draft and see where some of these players are or when they could join the Colorado Avalanche organization.

Who is still here?

Since the draft, the Avalanche have traded away only one of the nine picks from the 2024 Draft. On March 7, 2025, the Boston Bruins traded for William Zellers (third round, 76th overall), Casey Mittelstadt, and a second-round pick in the 2025 Draft. In return, the Avalanche received Charlie Coyle and a 2026 fifth-round pick.

Who has played for the Avalanche?

Nikita Prishchepov (seventh round, 217th overall) is the only one from the 2024 draft that has played in the NHL. Last summer, Prishchepov came into Development Camp without a contract and worked hard through the Rookie Showcase to earn an entry-level contract. He played 10 games with the Avalanche with no points, but received high praise from the coaches. Prishchepov played 51 games for the Colorado Eagles and finished the regular season with nine goals and 14 assists. The Russian will be in contention for the final roster spot through camp this fall.

Who is the closest?

Goaltender Ilya Nabokov (second round, 38th overall) has already signed his entry-level contract over the summer. Nabokov will play for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL on loan for the season, and the Avalanche expects him to join their organization after their season. In 2024, Nabokov won the Best Rookie Award, Playoffs MVP and the KHL Gagarin Cup (their Stanley Cup). He is one of the best goalies in the KHL right now.

Who will be next?

Max Curran (fifth round, 161st overall) and Christian Humphreys (seventh round, 215th overall) will probably come to the organization next. Both forwards average more than a point per game and show significant progress in the last season. Jake Fisher (fourth round, 121st overall and Tory Pitner (sixth round, 185th overall) are both attending the University of Denver and are in their sophomore seasons. Pitner was often the odd man out on defense, but Fisher saw a lot of time on the third line under head coach David Carle. Fisher is the only 20-year-old out of the four here, with the rest still being teenagers. Goaltenders Ivan Yunin (fifth round, 137th overall) and Louka Cloutier (fifth round, 132nd) both seem like they are far off. Yunin played in the KHL last and has no contract, while Cloutier committed to Boston College. Even if Yunin signs with the Avalanche, he is too young to go to the AHL.

Sometimes, draft classes are a complete gamble. Some pay off and some do not. So far, the 2024 draft class is paying off with two players already signing contracts. The rest are showing a lot of upside and promise. They have been regularly attending Development Camps and working with the Avalanche to improve. There is some hope for the future of the Avalanche.