DALLAS, TX – Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today the club has signed forward Justin Ertel to a three-year entry-level contract. The contract will begin in the 2024-25 season.
Category: The Future
Predators Sign Austin Roest to Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract
NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville Predators General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has signed forward Austin Roest to a three-year, entry-level contract that will begin in 2024-25.
Roest, 20 (1/22/04), has 59 points (31g-28a) in 54 games for the WHL’s Everett Silvertips in 2023-24, his fourth season with the club. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound forward, who is captaining the Silvertips this season, shares the Everett lead and is tied for 17th in the WHL in goals with 31, two shy of passing his career high of 32, set in 2022-23. Roest has also recorded three of his four career WHL hat tricks this season, including his most recent one on Feb. 16 at Wenatchee.
Devils sign top college free agent Dylan Wendt to 2-year contract
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Devils signed one of the top college free agents Thursday, with Western Michigan forward Dylan Wendt joining them on a two-year contract.
Wendt will initially join the Utica Comets, the Devils’ AHL affiliate, on an AHL amateur tryout for the remainder of the season. His two-year entry-level deal with the Devils will start in the 2024-25 campaign.
Penguins Sign Goaltender Filip Larsson to a Two-Year Contract
PITTSBURGH, PA – The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed goaltender Filip Larsson to a two-year contract, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.
The contract runs through the 2025-26 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
Larsson, 25, played the 2023-24 season with Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League, Sweden’s top professional league, posting a 19-9-0 record, 1.93 goals-against average, .920 save percentage and league-leading five shutouts in 28 games played. He also appeared in five postseason games with Leksands IF in the 2024 playoffs going 3-2-0 with a 1.91 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and one shutout.
Avalanche Sign Two-Time National Champion Defenseman Sean Behrens
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.
Jaccob Slavin, Jacob Trouba Named King Clancy Award Finalists
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
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
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
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.
