Avalanche's Ilya Nabokov: First goalie taken in '24 draft

Nabokov was the 38th overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

Nabokov becomes the first goaltender selected in the draft. An overage player, the 21-year-old Nabakov was named KHL Rookie of the Year and Playoff MVP after a season in which he went 23-13-3 with a 2.15 GAA and .930 save percentage for Magnitogorsk. He was even better in the postseason, going 16-6 with a 1.82 GAA and a .942 save percentage. Nabokov lacks ideal size for a goaltender at 6-foot and 180 pounds, but he reads plays extremely well, particularly side to side, and his positioning is exceptional. Nabokov is nothing more than a long-term lottery ticket for Colorado, but we've seen numerous KHL goaltenders come to the NHL and have success, so he's a worthy gamble at this stage of the draft.