Pickard taken by Avs in 2nd round of NHL Draft | Sports & Recreation

Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Calvin Pickard is now also a member of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avs took the T-Birds goalie in the second round of the NHL Draft in Los Angeles. He’s the first member of the T-Birds to be taken, and just the second goalie taken in the draft, after Mark Visentin of Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League. He was taken by Phoenix late in the first round.

Pickard was expected to go high in the draft, as he was one of the top goalies available. He now joins his brother, Chet, as an NHL draftee. Chet Pickard, who played for Tri-City, was drafted in 2007 by the Nashville Predators.

According to the T-Birds website, Pickard is the first Seattle player taken in the NHL Draft in two years. He's also the highest drafted T-Bird player since Thomas Hickey and Jim O'Brien were taken in the first round in 2007. He's also the first Seattle player taken by Colorado since Chris Durand was chosen by the Avs in the second round in 2005.