If there's one thing the Colorado Avalanche could offer college free-agent Alexander Kerfoot, it was opportunity.
In an interview with TSN 1040 in Vancouver on Wednesday, Kerfoot - New Jersey's 2012 fifth-round pick who chose not to sign his entry-level deal with the Devils - explained the rationale behind the decision to join last season's last-place club, boiling it down to a chance to make an immediate and impactful jump to the NHL.
"The first thing I was looking at was opportunity," Kerfoot said. "I'm a 23-year-old guy now coming out of four years in college. I know I have a lot of work to do as a player, but I want to go somewhere where I think that I have an opportunity to play. That kind of narrowed my list down from the start.
"I just felt really comfortable with the Avalanche organization in general and with (general manager Joe) Sakic and (head coach Jared) Bednar. I'm excited about joining their young group of guys and going into camp this year and competing for a spot."
Kerfoot added he was indeed close to signing with the Devils, but simply didn't see where he would fit at his position.
"That was a really, really difficult (deal) to turn down, but I think that just the main thing that came into play there was that (New Jersey) obviously had the first overall pick this year and he was a centerman (Nico Hischier). They traded for a couple of centermen in the off-season. Their last couple of kind of high draft picks have been centermen, so I think there was a plethora of young centermen coming into the organization who I would have to compete with."
Kerfoot believes he has a good shot at cracking Colorado's lineup after averaging slightly over a point per game over four years at Harvard, but understands if the organization believes he needs to spend some time in the AHL.
"I'm prepared for whatever," he said. "I mean, if I don't make the team then it's not like I'm just going to give up on my career. But at the same time I'm going in to Colorado expecting to make the team. I think that I'm confident in my abilities and I think that I have a good shot to make their roster. I'm excited to go in and be a part of their group."
- With h/t Chris Nichols
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