Breaking News Archives - Boutique Hockey Agency

Avalanche Sign Two-Time National Champion Defenseman Sean Behrens

Posted on April 20, 2024April 20, 2024

DENVER, CO – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed defenseman Sean Behrens to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2024-25. Behrens will join the Colorado Eagles (AHL) on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

Behrens, 21, just completed his junior season at the University of Denver, helping the Pioneers capture the 2024 NCAA championship. He collected 31 points (4g/27a) in 44 contests which set career-highs in goals, assists, points and games played. The blueliner finished third among Pioneers’ defenseman in points and assists, and added 70 blocked shots to pace all Denver skaters which led to his selection as the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year. Behrens helped the Pioneers defeat the Boston College Eagles on Saturday afternoon (April 13), Denver’s Division I-leading 10th national title and second in the last three seasons (2022). Behrens was named to the 2024 All-Tournament team after registering an assist in each of the Frozen Four games.

Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare not planning to stop after hitting 700 games

Posted on April 20, 2024

SEATTLE, WA – Kraken forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare claims he doesn’t think he’d make a great hockey coach.

Not that Bellemare, who appeared in his 697^th NHL game Friday night at age 39, is ready to move on from his playing career just yet. It’s just that folks tend to note that he isn’t getting any younger and feel his insights and motivational techniques might make for a great role behind a bench in the not-so-distant future.

To which he laughs.

“I don’t think I’d be too good at it,” he said after Friday’s morning skate at Honda Center before the Kraken played the Anaheim Ducks. “I get frustrated when players complain too much about ice time and stuff. You think the coach is doing it to make himself feel good? He’s doing what’s best to try to motivate you and get the best out of you.

Canucks: Ian Cole set to join unique playoff club

Posted on April 18, 2024

VANCOUVER, BC – The NHL record for the most teams a player has made the playoffs with is eight.

Only one player has ever hit this mark: former Vancouver Canucks centre Mike Sillinger.

Sillinger joined the Canucks in a trade from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks at the trade deadline in 1996 and ended up playing six games for the Canucks in the playoffs that year, making Vancouver the second team he played in the post-season with. He went onto eight Stanley Cup playoffs with eight different teams.

And now Ian Cole is about to match that record. When he makes his 2024 Stanley Cup playoff debut, presumably in game one of the coming first round, Cole will have made the post-season with his eighth NHL franchise.

It’s a remarkable record. Without a doubt, Cole knows first hand how hard teams that make the playoffs have to work.

Jaccob Slavin, Jacob Trouba Named King Clancy Award Finalists

Posted on April 17, 2024

NEW YORK, NY – The National Hockey League today announced the 32 team nominees for the 2023-24 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is presented “to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”

The nominees were selected by their respective NHL teams. The winner will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of Commissioner Gary Bettman and, for the first time, former winners of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy and the historic NHL Foundation Player Award.

In determining the winner, the selection committee will consider the criteria of a nominee’s inspiration, involvement, and impact to positively benefit his community.

Red Wings sign defenseman Shai Buium to three-year entry-level contract

Posted on April 17, 2024

DETROIT, MI – The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Shai Buium to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning with the 2024-25 season. Buium will report to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.

Buium, 21, recently completed his junior season at the University of Denver, helping the Pioneers capture their second NCAA Division I national championship in three years. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman earned NCHC Second All-Star Team honors after recording 36 points (7-29-36), a plus-33 rating and 14 penalty minutes in 43 games with the Pioneers during the 2023-24 campaign. Buium logged 21 points (4-17-21), a plus-eight rating and 18 penalty minutes in 38 games as a sophomore in 2022-23. Selected by the Red Wings in the second round (36th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Buium was selected to the NCHC All-Rookie Team after tallying 18 points (3-15-18), a plus-20 rating and 12 penalty minutes in 39 games in 2021-22, winning a national title along with Detroit prospects Carter Mazur (70th overall/2021) and Antti Tuomisto (35th overall/2019). In total, Buium compiled 75 points (14-61-75), a plus-61 rating and 44 penalty minutes in 120 games with the Pioneers.

Frank Nazar scores on first shot in NHL debut with Chicago Blackhawks

Posted on April 15, 2024

CHICAGO, IL – With one dash up the middle of the ice, Frank Nazar provided a glimmer of hope for the Chicago Blackhawks at the end of another losing season.

Nazar scored on his first shot on goal in his NHL debut in Chicago’s home finale against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

Wearing No. 91, a smiling Nazar got a big cheer from the early arriving fans when he took the ice for his solo rookie lap ahead of warmups. He centered a line with Jason Dickinson and Joey Anderson.

Ducks Sign Hobey Baker Finalist Cutter Gauthier to Entry-Level Contract

Posted on April 15, 2024April 15, 2024

ANAHEIM, CA – The Ducks have signed forward Cutter Gauthier to a three-year entry-level contract beginning this season.

Gauthier, 20 (1/19/04), led the NCAA with 38 goals at Boston College (Hockey East) this season, tied for the most goals in a single season in program history and the most by an NCAA player since 1999-00. Gauthier helped Boston College to an appearance in the 2024 NCAA Championship game, scoring 38-27=65 points with a +23 rating in 41 games in 2023-24.

The 6-3, 190-pound forward also led the NCAA in game-winning goals (10), was second in points and tied for second in power-play goals (13). He was named a Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalist, NCAA All-American and Hockey East First Team All-Star.

UMaine hockey goalie Victor Ostman signs with NHL’s Seattle Kraken

Posted on April 14, 2024

ORONO, ME — On Wednesday, University of Maine senior and men’s ice hockey goaltender Victor Ostman signed an entry-level contract with NHL’s Seattle Kraken.

According to a news release from the Seattle team, Ostman signed a two-year, two-way contract valued at $950,000 set to begin next season. He will report to Seattle’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds on an amateur tryout contract for the rest of the year, officials said.

Ottawa Senators Sign Stephen Halliday To Entry-Level Contract

Posted on April 14, 2024

OTTAWA, ONT – The Ottawa Senators have signed collegiate forward Stephen Halliday to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2024-25 season, with Halliday joining the AHL’s Belleville Senators on an amateur try-out for the remainder of the season. Ottawa drafted Halliday in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft – his last year of draft eligibility. He earned the selection with a 95-point season in the USHL, becoming just the third player since 2000 to score 95-or-more points in one season. The dazzling year also earned Halliday the title of all-time leading scorer in the USHL, with a total of 215 points across 215 games in the league.