The Avalanche have added to their prospect pool as they announced the signing of center Andreas Wingerli to a one-year, entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal carries an AAV of $925K including signing and performance bonuses.
The 23-year-old was under contract with Skelleftea of the SHL for next season but earlier today, his deal was terminated so it was only a matter of time before his destination was announced. Wingerli has seen regular action in Sweden’s top league since 2015-16 where he has developed into a reliable two-way presence while being known for his speed. This season, he played in 50 games, finishing fifth in scoring with a dozen goals and 16 assists along with 66 penalty minutes.
His performance this year helped him earn a spot on Sweden’s entry at the World Championships. While they didn’t qualify for the medal round, Wingerli had a decent showing, notching a goal and two assists in seven games while averaging just over 10 minutes a night on the fourth line. Clearly, he did enough to catch the eye of the Avs who signed him soon after his tournament came to an end.
Colorado has three regular forwards plus trade deadline acquisition Carl Soderberg set to reach unrestricted free agency this summer and they won’t be able to keep their whole core intact. Accordingly, they’ll be relying on some low-cost depth and with Wingerli’s deal being an entry-level one, he’s someone that could conceivably be part of their plans next season.
very disappointed that he’s not a winger lol