Last week, the Avalanche made it clear they weren't going to draft Seth Jones, the presumed choice, with the No. 1 overall pick. Now, according to new coach Patrick Roy, they have a clear order of preference.

If the draft was today, he said, they'd select Halifax center Nathan MacKinnon with the first pick.

"It would be tough for us not to take MacKinnon," Roy told ESPN The Magazine. "MacKinnon is ready to play tomorrow."