Canadian connections bond Avalanche rookies and top prospects Bo Byram, Alex Newhook, Justin Barron

Avalanche rookies Bo Byram, Alex Newhook and Justin Barron — the club’s apical 3 selections from the 2019 and 2020 drafts — person a unsocial enslaved and overmuch successful common, contempt processing from other sides of Canada.

Bryam, the defenseman from British Columbia and the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, was the No. 4 enactment of the 2019 draft. Twelve spots later, Colorado chose Newhook, the guardant from St. John’s, Newfoundland, who played inferior hockey successful British Columbia earlier joining the Boston College Eagles.

“Really adjacent to Bo, I deliberation ever since we got drafted together,” Newhook said. “I knew him a just spot earlier we got drafted unneurotic and then, being successful the aforesaid organization, it’s been large for some of america and we’ve decidedly created a narration implicit the years.

“And aforesaid with Barron, I’ve known him for a while, being a Maritimer, truthful him coming through, I was excited to spot his sanction picked by the Avs. Great guy, 1 of my champion buddies, and a large player.”

Indeed, Newhook and Barron — the defenseman who was the 25th enactment successful the 2019 draught — are Maritime buddies, having grown up playing against and with each different successful Eastern Canada. The second is from Halifax, Nova Scotia., the metropolis Barron besides played juniors successful with the Mooseheads.

RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post

Colorado Avalanche halfway Alex Newhook (18) moves down the crystal during the 3rd play of crippled 2 successful the 2nd circular of the Stanley Cup Playoff bid connected June 2, 2021 successful Denver. Colorado Avalanche, astatine location successful Ball Arena, took connected the Vegas Golden Knights.

“We played against each different increasing up a small bit, and past with each different and outpouring hockey and stuff,” Barron, 19, said of Newhook, 20. “We’re beauteous comfy with each different now. We’re chirping backmost and distant and he’s a amusive feline to beryllium around.”

Byram, besides 20, noted that he, Newhook and Barron forged a adjacent enslaved being teammates for Canada’s 2021 World Junior Championship, wherever the U.S. bushed Canada successful the gold-medal crippled successful a bubble ambiance successful Edmonton.

“We were successful the bubble for rather a while. I cognize J.B. truly well,” Byram said. “We’ve roomed unneurotic astatine similar each Hockey Canada lawsuit that I’ve been excessively — U17, U18 — and I’m rooming with him close now. So I cognize J.B. truly well. He’s a large dude.

“Obviously, I played World Juniors with some him and Newy past year. We’ve spent a batch of clip together, had a batch of fun. They’re some truly bully guys, amusive hanging retired with. We’ve been doing tons distant from the rink, grabbing meals together, immoderate it mightiness be. So decidedly bully having those guys present together.”

Byram and Newhook are vying for opening-night roster spots for the Avs, aft some saw constricted enactment successful the shortened 2021 season. Byram played successful 19 regular-season games and Newhook played a combined 14 games successful the regular play and playoffs.

Barron volition astir apt statesman the play with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, wherever helium played for 7 games past twelvemonth aft his inferior season.