Bednar sees top-nine upside as Avs send Beckett Hamilton back to Red Deer
The June third-rounder scored in his lone preseason game and drew top-line reps before Colorado returned him to the WHL on Tuesday.
The Avalanche sent 18-year-old forward Beckett Hamilton back to the WHL's Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday. He leaves with a better reputation than he arrived with. The third-round pick from June's draft scored in his only NHL preseason game, Sunday's 4-1 win over Utah.
He also spent part of camp on a line with Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen, per Colorado Hockey Now's Aarif Deen.
He scored in both of Colorado's rookie games against Anaheim and Vegas earlier this month, too, per The Hockey News. Jared Bednar's read: "He's got top-nine potential. That's what he has." The coach added that "for a third-round pick, that's a heck of a pick."
Ferda read: a third-rounder getting top-line reps in an NHL camp is either a coach being kind or a coach sending a message to his depth guys. Bednar didn't sound like he was being kind.
Red Deer gets him back with a chip on his shoulder and a Ball Arena highlight in his pocket. That's usually how second-year juniors turn into first-year pros.
