The Colorado Avalanche have come to the same conclusion that the Winnipeg Jets did earlier this year, that Marko Dano is not ready to be a full-time NHL player. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Avalanche have placed Dano on waivers today, along with Josh Brown of the Florida Panthers. Brown has been on the season-opening injured reserve list, meaning he’s likely now healthy enough to join the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL.
Dano, 23, hasn’t been able to live up to his first-round draft pedigree and could now potentially be joining his fifth organization since being selected in 2013. He made the biggest impact with his first team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, but has flamed out in Chicago, Winnipeg and now Colorado. That high pedigree and obvious talents are enough to make someone take a chance on him, but there is little reason to believe he’s going to put it all together at this point.
Winnipeg could also reclaim him, which would allow them to send him right to the minor leagues if they are the only team to do so. With Kristian Vesalainen expected to head to the KHL, perhaps they would take another chance on Dano and try to get him ice time in the minor leagues. The young forward carries an $800K one-way contract, but is a restricted free agent again after the season and comes with several years of team control. If he does slip through, he’ll almost certainly be assigned to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.