Category: The Future

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago Blackhawks today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Frank Nazaron a three-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2025-26 season ($950,000 salary cap hit).

Nazar, 20, skated in 41 games with the University of Michigan (Big Ten) during the 2023-24 campaign, posting collegiate career highs in games played (41), goals (17), assists (24) and points (41). He shared second on the team with three game-winning goals. Additionally, Nazar’s 17 goals ranked fourth among all Michigan skaters, while his 24 assists ranked fifth on the club.