Avalanche select defenseman Nick Leivermann 187th overall

CHICAGO – The Colorado Avalanche used their final selection of the 2017 NHL Draft, 187th overall and first in the seventh round, on defenseman Nick Leivermann out of Eden Prarie High School in Minnesota.

Leivermann, 5’10”, 194 pounds, was the captain of the Eagles team that featured eigth overall selection Casey Mittelstadt and infamously fell short of the state title this past season. While at Eden Prairie, he recorded 34 points (10 g, 14 a) in 21 games played. In eight games with the USHL’s Bloomington Thunder, Leivermann recorded just one goal.

He is slated to head to the Penticton Vees, Tyson Jost’s former team, of the BCHL next season before heading to the University of Notre Dame in 2018-19, where could join fellow Avalanche draftees Cameron Morrison and Nathan Clurman.

On Leivermann, Black Book says:

Leivermann is a terrific skating defenseman that likes to join or lead the rush up ice, but he needs to improve his judgement. Leivermann does tend to default to skating the puck up ice if his first look isn’t available and needs to continue to work on his vision of the ice on the breakout. Nicky can run the power play extremely well at the High School Level and likes to fall off to a one-timer position as well. Physically, Leivermann has a strong, stocky build and despite being undersized by today’s standards for NHL defenseman, Leivermann has shown he can hold his own in 1 on 1 battles. His skating and footwork will always allow him to be sound with his body position but needs to do a better job with his stick where passing lanes can be neglected, especially on the Penalty Kill. Leivermann is another one of those prospects in this year’s draft that scouts seem to be really high or really low on but Leivermann skill set is based around skating and puck possession that is geared toward today’s game so it would not shock us to see Leivermann come off the board later in day 2.