After trading away their 2012 first round selection to the Washington Capitals last offseason to acquire young goaltender Semyon Varlamov, the Colorado Avalanche enjoyed a quiet first night of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. They have finally made their first selection of this draft on Day Two, electing to draft forward Mitchell Heard with the 41st overall selection.

Heard, 20, has played left wing with the OHL Plymouth Whalers for the last three seasons and finished with 57 points in 57 minutes last season. An older selection in this draft, it appears that Colorado has gone off the traditional draft board and selected a player with some size and physicality. Heard had 178 penalty minutes the past two seasons in the OHL, second on the Plymouth roster.

Colorado will select again in the third round, barring a trade.

For more coverage, visit our Avalanche blog Mile High Hockey. For coverage of the entire NHL Draft, visit SB Nation NHL.