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NHL

Sharks Recall Jack Thompson

March 31, 2025 at 4:42 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley Leave a Comment

The San Jose Sharks have made their corresponding recall after reassigning two skaters earlier this morning. The team has called up rookie defenseman Jack Thompson from the AHL. Thompson is in the midst of a hot streak in the minors, having recorded five points, a plus-two, and 11 shots on goal over his last four games. He will now return to the NHL for the first time since being reassigned to the minors on March 6th.

Thompson’s playing time this season has been nearly perfectly split between the major and minor league rosters. He made the Sharks lineup out of training camp and recorded three points in his first three games of the season. That was enough to hold onto San Jose’s extra defender role through mid-December, but Thompson was reassigned to the minors after netting just five total points through his first 14 games of the NHL season. He quickly adjusted to the minors and scored nine points across 16 games.

With San Jose’s blue-line in flux around the turn of the year, Thompson’s hot scoring quickly made him the Sharks’ de facto call-up. he bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups through January, February, and March. The frequent movements coincided with Thompson netting just one point – an NHL goal – through 18 combined games between January 27th and March 19th. His recent scoring streak has marked a resurgence from that slump, and the Sharks will now reward Thompson’s resilience with a return to the top flight.

Thompson should step directly into the lineup after Cagnoni was reassigned. He could be in store for an immediate top-four role ahead of left-shot defender Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who has spent the last few games playing on his off-hand. Those minutes could soon sap up, though, as more fellow blue-liners Henry Thrun, Vincent Desharnais, and Jimmy Schuldt work their way back from injuries of varying severity.

AHL| NHL| San Jose Sharks| Transactions Jack Thompson

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Bruins Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri Clear Waivers

March 31, 2025 at 3:55 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 1 Comment

3/31: Both Bruins forwards have cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They will now be eligible to be assigned to the minor leagues.

3/30: The Boston Bruins have placed forwards Patrick Brown and Vinni Lettieri on waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Both players have been up and down between the major and minor rosters this season, after each successfully clearing waivers in October.

Lettieri has been the slightly more utilized forward between the pair. He’s appeared in 19 games this season and scored two goals and three points, while tacking on four penalty minutes and a minus-eight. It’s another season of low-scoring for Lettieri, after he entered the season with just 27 points in 128 career NHL games. He’s been far more exciting in the minors this season – with 20 goals and 48 points in 46 games ranking him second on the Providence Bruins in scoring. Lettieri is one of just 15 AHL skaters still scoring above a point-per-game pace through 20-or-more games. While his NHL scoring has stayed consistently low, he’s been a routine force in the minors. Lettieri has rivaled point-per-game scoring in every AHL season since 2020-21 – including netting a career-high 49 points in 48 games of the 2022-23 campaign. With a succesful pass through waivers, Lettieri could be in a great spot to break that career-high in his age-30 season.

Brown has performed a slight step behind Lettieri all year long. He has just one assist in 13 NHL games, and 44 points in 52 AHL games, on the season. He too entered the year with little NHL momentum behind him – entering 2024-25 with just 25 points in 149 career games. But his minor-league scoring does mark a small breakout after Brown managed just 32 points in 42 AHL games last season, and 21 points in 60 games of his last full AHL season in 2019-20. He spent the gap between the AHL stints playing routine minutes with the Philadelphia Flyers, and filling an extra forward role with the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators. The journeyman Brown is now settled with the Bruins, and could soon head to support Providence’s Calder Cup Playoffs push after they clinched a spot last weekend.

Of note, neither player will be able to return to the NHL this season should they be claimed off of waivers. They’ll instead have to be assigned to their new team’s minor league program and potentially support a different Calder Cup race.

AHL| Boston Bruins| NHL| Players| Transactions| Waivers Patrick Brown| Vinni Lettieri

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Wild Brendan Gaunce, Devin Shore Clear Waivers

March 31, 2025 at 3:55 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 1 Comment

3/31: Both Wild forwards have cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They will now be eligible to be assigned to the minor leagues.

3/30: The Minnesota Wild have placed depth forwards Brendan Gaunce and Devin Shore on waivers per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Both players have bounced between rosters all season long. Shore was placed on, and cleared, waivers in each of September, December, January, and February – while Gaunce was successfully waived in September.

While he’s often been the first cut when Minnesota needs roster flexibility, Shore has spent the large majority of his season on the NHL roster. He’s stepped into 51 games on the year and recorded five points, six penalty minutes, and a minus-six from Minnesota’s fourth line. Shore has also been returned to the minors for 14 games on the year. He has a productive 10 points, six penalty minutes, and minus-11 in those appearances. While he hasn’t found much scoring at either level, this year has marked the most Shore has played in one NHL season since 2016-17 and 2017-18 – when he played through two full seasons with the Dallas Stars. Those were career years for Shore, giving him the platform to score a career-high 33 and 32 points respectively. He’s fallen into the role of journeyman depth forward in the years since, playing through tenures with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Seattle Kraken.

While Shore has provided Minnesota with a veteran presence in their extra forward slot, Gaunce has found his footing at the top of the AHL Iowa Wild lineup. He has 15 goals and 29 points in 35 AHL games this season, good for fifth on the roster in scoring. Those appearances have been intercut with 12 games in the NHL lineup, though Gaunce has only tallied one assist, four penalty minutes, and a minus-four at the top flight. He’s bounced between the NHL and AHL over the last three years, after a quick pit stop in Sweden’s SHL in the shortened 2020-21 campaign. He scored a career-high 39 points in 46 AHL games last season and has 29 points in 189 career NHL games.

Of note, neither player will be able to rejoin the NHL should they be claimed off waivers due to the post-Deadline roster rules . They will instead need to be assigned to their new club’s minor-league program.

AHL| Minnesota Wild| NHL| Players| Transactions| Waivers Brendan Gaunce| Devin Shore

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Five Key Stories: 3/24/25 – 3/30/25

March 30, 2025 at 9:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The final full week in March is in the books and it was an eventful one around the NHL with a pair of big events drawing plenty of attention.  Those are among the headlines in our key stories.

Done For The Year: This hasn’t been a great year for Wild blueliner David Jiricek.  Mired in a limited role in Columbus, he was acquired by Minnesota at the end of November and the thought was that he’d be up with the big club after that.  Instead, he wound up being a frequent scratch with the Wild sending him down recently to get some more playing time.  However, those plans are out the window as the 21-year-old suffered a lacerated spleen upon his return, ending his season prematurely.  He finished up the year with just a dozen NHL appearances split between Columbus and Minnesota while he struggled in Iowa, notching just seven assists in 27 games with them.  All in all, a tough finish to a tough season for the prospect.

Back In The Lineup: The Golden Knights welcomed back a key part of their back end when they activated defenseman Shea Theodore off LTIR.  Theodore was expected to be a key player for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off but his tournament action was short-lived as he suffered an arm injury in the opener, causing him to miss more than a month of games.  Despite missing 15 games this season, Theodore still sits in the top ten for points by a defenseman, tallying seven goals and 44 assists through 58 appearances while logging nearly 22 minutes a night.  Returning now gives him plenty of time to get back into top form heading into the playoffs.

Big Change In Philadelphia: The Flyers were in the midst of their worst stretch of the season, losing 11 of 12 games since early March with some frustration happening behind the scenes as well.  That resulted in GM Daniel Briere electing to make a coaching change, dismissing John Tortorella while elevating associate coach Brad Shaw to the interim head coaching role for the rest of the season.  Tortorella was in his 23rd season running an NHL bench and his third with Philadelphia; he had one year left on his contract.  Teams looking for an experienced head coach this spring may look his way or Tortorella might opt to call it a career.  Meanwhile, this is Shaw’s second time stewarding an NHL team as he previously served as an interim head coach for 40 games with the Islanders back in 2005-06 when he took over for Steve Stirling.

First Contracts For First Rounders: With college seasons coming to an end, several prominent first-round prospects have turned pro, inking deals that start this year, allowing them to play for their respective clubs down the stretch.  The Blues got a deal done with 2022 first-rounder (20th overall) Jimmy Snuggerud, signing him away from the University of Minnesota.  That same school lost three other first-rounders, as Matthew Wood (15th overall in 2023) signed with Nashville and Sam Rinzel (25th overall in 2022) inked a deal with Chicago.  Rinzel wasn’t the only Blackhawks prospect to sign, as they also signed Oliver Moore (19th overall in 2023).  Suffice it to say, the Golden Gophers won’t be anywhere near as strong on paper next season.  All four players have either already made their NHL debuts or will do so in the near future.

Staying In Washington: One of the more prominent pending unrestricted free agents is off the market early after the Capitals signed defenseman Jakob Chychrun to an eight-year, $72MM contract extension.  The $9MM AAV nearly doubles the $4.6MM cap charge he has been playing on since the 2019-20 campaign, one that has become quite a bargain.  The 26-year-old has fit in quite well after being acquired from Ottawa last summer as Chychrun already has new career-highs in goals (18) and points (44) while logging just shy of 21 minutes a night of playing time.  With John Carlson already 35 and likely nearing the finish line on his career, Chychrun appears to be well-positioned to move into the top role when the veteran hangs up his skates.

Photo courtesy of James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images.

NHL Week In Review

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Utah Activates Robert Bortuzzo, Olli Määttä Game-Time Decision

March 30, 2025 at 1:17 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley Leave a Comment

The Utah Hockey Club has activated defenseman Robert Bortuzzo off of injured reserve. Bortuzzo sustained a lower-body injury in December 10th’s game against the Minnesota Wild. He returned for eight minutes of ice time in Utah’s January 2nd win over Calgary, but wasn’t back to full health and had to step back out of the lineup. Bortuzzo missed 44 games of action in total with this injury and will now return with just nine games left in Utah’s season.

Bortuzzo played in 14 games before falling to injury. He recorded two assists, 22 penalty minutes, and a minus-two, while averaging just 11 minutes of ice time. After years of a dwindling role, Bortuzzo has fallen firmly into the role of seventh defenseman after signing a one-year, two-way, league-minimum contract with Utah this summer. The end of the season will be his chance to finally affirm that contract, though the signs of retirement could be shining for the 36-year-old defender.

If Bortuzzo does hang up his skates at the end of the year, he’ll leave behind a strong 14-year career in the NHL. His career began with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2011-12 season, but he spent the vast majority of it with the St. Louis Blues after a trade in the 2014-15 season swapped him for fellow veteran defender Ian Cole. Bortuzzo went on to record 424 games with the Blues – routinely serving in a depth role and never managing more than 13 points in a single season. Still, his gritty physicality and veteran depth helped support St. Louis to a Stanley Cup in 2019 – and made him a valuable addition for the injury-riddled New York Islanders blue-line last season.

Bortuzzo could quickly find his way back into Utah’s lineup on Sunday, with vet Olli Määttä designated as a game-time decision for the matchup per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports. Määttä left Utah’s Friday game early with a lower-body injury. If he can’t go, the Hockey Club will be pushed to decide between Bortuzzo and current extra defender Nick DeSimone. Määttä has been an oft-used member of Utah’s blue-line. He’s averaging a career-high 20 minutes of ice time in Salt Lake City and has so far scored 15 points in 63 games. But Määttä is also in the rut of a cold-streak, with no scoring and a minus-three over his last nine games. A spot absence could be a chance for Määttä to make sure the mental and physical are both on the right track – as he prepares to serve a confident top-four role while Utah clings on to their playoff hopes.

Injury| NHL| Transactions| Utah Mammoth Olli Maatta| Robert Bortuzzo

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Big Hype Prospects: Gadowsky, Boija, Hutson, Borgesi

March 27, 2025 at 7:14 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 3 Comments

College hockey has drawn into the center focus of the hockey world. The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament kicked off on Thursday, and plenty of players are calculating their next moves by entering the transfer portal or signing pro deals. That attention has lifted up the top athletes across the college world, giving us another reason to borrow from MLB Trade Rumors’ Big Hype Prospects series to share four names to watch with the season coming to an end.

Four Big Hype Prospects

Mac Gadowsky, LD, Army / U.S. Military Academy (NCAA, Atlantic Hockey America, NHL Free Agent)
38 GP – 16 G – 26 A – 42 TP – 6 PIM – +5

The final 10 Hobey Baker Finalists were revealed on March 19th. The list contains star NHL prospects like Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard – but no name stands off the list quite like Army star Mac Gadowsky. Gadowsky was unstoppable this year, showing brazen confidence on the puck and the energy to make an all-three-zones impact on every single shift. He drove hard on and off of the puck and used his stocky six-foot-three, 185-pound frame to force opponents into tireless, gritty hockey. Gadowsky led all collegiate defensemen in goals scored, largely on the back of his ability to generate dangerous shots from the perimeter after leading the fast break. The sophomore defender found his way to 42 points this season – second among all defenders behind freshman star Cole Hutson – a significant stride forward from his 23 points in 28 games last year. Gadowsky’s motor and grit have been clear for a while, but his scoring was shielded through two years in the NAHL before he moved to Army. He’s broken out in full this year, and looks like a strong bet to earn college’s MVP title after emerging as Army’s top option.

Albin Boija, G, University of Maine (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
36 GP – 23-7-6 record – .930 Sv% – 1.76 GAA

While Gadowsky sits at the center of Hobey Baker attention, star Maine goaltender Albin Boija will be close to the top of the list of snubs. He was a consistent impact for the Black Bears, working his way to the fifth-highest save percentage in the country while playing in the sixth-most games. The sophomore Boija grabbed firm control of Maine’s starter’s crease early in the season and never faltered enough to earn question. It was a performance that many expected from the 21-year-old netminder, after he posted a dazzling .916 in 18 games as Maine’s backup last season. Boija played behind Seattle Kraken draft pick Victor Ostman last season – and far outperformed the latter’s .892 save percentage. Boija’s breakout year was built on flashes of great athleticism and locked-in movements throughout the entire season. His movements and puck-tracking looked to be at a pro level through his high points this season, but he’s rumored to be headed for a return to college next year, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver. That news will be thrilling news for Maine, who gets back one of the hottest goaltenders across college, and gives Boija a chance to chase the MVP title with another dazzling year.

Quinn Hutson, F, Boston University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
34 GP – 21 G – 26 A – 47 TP – 29 PIM – +20

The Boston University Terriers ended the regular season with the most goals in their conference. At the core of their offense has been the Hutson brothers – Washington Capitals star prospect Cole, and emerging junior Quinn Hutson. Quinn has been a top scorer throughout his junior hockey career, netting a whopping 115 points in 104 games in the USHL before moving to BU in 2022-23. He’s grown in every season since, with 29 points as a freshman and 36 points as a sophomore. Both of those totals came narrowly below a point-per-game pace – a mark that Hutson blew out of the water with 21 goals and 47 points in 34 games this season. He’s shown an increased ability to create in the dangerous areas of the ice, getting pucks on net quickly in the slot and using short passes to open space with teammates. He’s not abundantly fast or strong, but plays a well-rounded game with a sharp eye for the net. Those traits, backed by a hard-nosed drive on the forecheck, will be enough to make Hutson a top pro free agent when the Terriers’ season ends.

Vinny Borgesi, RD, Northeastern University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
32 GP – 5 G – 17 A – 22 TP – 16 PIM – +1

Five-foot-eight defenseman Vincent Borgesi has been easily overlooked across his juniors career. His scoring hasn’t jumped off the page dating back to his days in the USHL – and his 22 points this season fell just shy of the 28 points he totaled in 34 games last year. But Borgesi’s confidence on and off of the puck has grown exponentially over his three years at Northeastern University. He’s found new ways to use his bulky, 175-pound frame – engaging opponents in the corners and low-slot with far more effectiveness than in year’s past. Borgesi has added those traits while maintaining his quick and snappy abilities on the puck, sparking fast breakouts and seamlessly joining the rush. He was a key driver for the Huskies this season, and offers under-the-radar upside as a puck-mover capable of holding his own away from the puck. Borgesi won’t jump off the page in the same way as his Hockey East peers, but he’ll remain a key name to watch for minor-league squads looking to bolster their ranks before the playoffs.

Big Hype Prospects| NCAA| NHL| Players| Prospects| USHL Albin Boija| Mac Gadowsky| NCAA| Quinn Hutson| Vinny Borgesi

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Afternoon Notes: Malkin, Shea, Talbot, Cossa, Svechnikov

March 27, 2025 at 5:21 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 2 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday without lineup pillar Evgeni Malkin, who is set to sit out with a day-to-day upper-body injury per NHL.com’s Michelle Crechiolo. This will mark Malkin’s 12th absence since January 1st.

Malkin has continued to make a strong impact when he’s healthy. He has three points in his last five games, and 15 points in 23 games since the calendar turned over. Those marks have brought Malkin’s season-long scoring total up to 15 goals and 46 points in 62 games. That’s an 82-game scoring pace of just 61 points – the lowest of Malkin’s 19 year career in the NHL. Even still, he’s ranked fifth on the Penguins roster in scoring and fourth among forwards in average ice time (18 minutes). Malkin remains the focal point of Pittsburgh’s second-line, and leaves a noticeable hole in Tuesday night’s lineup. Kevin Hayes will see a boost in minutes in Malkin’s absence, while Joona Koppanen is expected to step into the lineup once again. Koppanen scored his first NHL goal on March 18th – his only point in four games.

While losing Malkin is always terrible news in Pittsburgh, the team will have a silver lining in the return of oft-used defenseman Ryan Shea, who missed the last seven-games with an upper-body injury – per Crechiolo. Shea has just five points in 30 games this season, though he’s heated up as of late – and played a season-high 24 minutes of ice time in his last game on March 9th. Shea has averaged 20 minutes of ice time in 10 games since January 1st. He likely won’t return to those heights immediately upon returning from injury – but could see his minutes slowly climb over Pittsburgh’s next few games.

Other notes around the league:

  • Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot will be healthy enough to serve as backup in Thursday night’s game, per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. St. James adds that Talbot’s return will require Detroit to reassign top goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa, who was recalled with Detroit facing injuries to Talbot and Petr Mrazek. Mrazek remains out. Talbot will ease back into the lineup looking to build on his .898 save percentage through 38 games this season. Meanwhile, Cossa will return to the minor leagues looking to maintain his .913 save percentage through 35 AHL games. Cossa has held steady at a .913 Sv% in each of the last three seasons. The Red Wings’ starter’s crease will continue to be manned by Alex Lyon, who’s saved 39 of 44 shots against over his last two starts. Those marks have brought Lyon to a .899 Sv% in 27 games this season – second-highest on the Wings behind Mrazek’s .902 in five games played.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have received a boost of good news, with winger Andrei Svechnikov set to return to the lineup after he missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. The missed games brought Svechnikov up to eight absences this season – his fewest since the 2021-22 campaign. The 24-year-old winger has 18 goals and 43 points in 63 games this season. With such a chunk of missing games behind him, and just 11 games left on Carolina’s schedule, the ’Canes will likely ease Svechnikov back into the lineup. He’ll likely rotate through a top-six role with wingers like Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall, and Jack Roslovic.

AHL| Carolina Hurricanes| Detroit Red Wings| Injury| NHL| Pittsburgh Penguins Alex Lyon| Andrei Svechnikov| Cam Talbot| Evgeni Malkin| Petr Mrazek| Ryan Shea| Sebastian Cossa

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Predators Place Marc Del Gaizo, Kieffer Bellows On Waivers

March 27, 2025 at 1:31 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 1 Comment

March 27: Bellows and Del Gaizo cleared waivers, Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game reports. Both remain on Nashville’s roster for now.

March 26: The Nashville Predators have placed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo and left-winger Kieffer Bellows on waivers per PuckPedia. Del Gaizo has been with the NHL club since late February, while Bellows was called up on March 7th.

Serving as the Predators’ de facto defense call-up, Del Gaizo has split the season between the major and minor league rosters. He’s recorded eight points and 17 penalty minutes in 35 NHL games this season, making this year Del Gaizo’s formal rookie season after playing in nine games, and netting three points, in the NHL last year. He’s also added eight goals, 12 points, and 16 penalty minutes in 30 AHL games this season. That mark sits as a slight downtick from the 34 points he scored in 60 AHL games last year, and the 31 points he scored in 71 games of the 2022-23 season. The 25-year-old defender has found a niche as a stout defender away from the puck, though his menial scoring wasn’t enough to earn an everyday spot this season.

Bellows hasn’t found his NHL scoring this season either, with just three points in 13 games this season. He’s been far more productive in the minors, where his 14 goals and 29 points in 41 games ranks sixth on the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring. Bellows’ 54 penalty minutes also ranks fifth on the squad. He’s playing through his first season with the Predators organization after posting an impressive 27 goals and 49 points in 52 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies last season. The Canadian stint was part of what’s turning into a journeyman career for Bellows, who’s played with the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Predators within the last four seasons.

Both players seem likely to clear waivers and head back to the minor leagues, but their status will be important to watch. Should either player be claimed, they would be ineligible to be recalled to the NHL for the rest of the seasons. Both players are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer, which could mean they’ve played their last NHL games of the year – should another team want to bolster their minor-league lineups ahead of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

AHL| NHL| Nashville Predators| Players| Transactions| Waivers Kieffer Bellows| Marc Del Gaizo

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Utah Recalls Kailer Yamamoto

March 26, 2025 at 4:52 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 1 Comment

The Utah Hockey Club has recalled depth winger Kailer Yamamoto. Yamamoto made the Utah roster out of training camp but was cleared through waivers and assigned to the minor leagues on October 26th. This is his first call-up since that transaction, giving him another chance to find NHL ice time on the one-year, two-way, league-minimum deal he signed in Utah this summer.

Yamamoto has been a driving force for the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners this season. He leads the team in scoring with 51 points in 51 games played – making him one of just 17 AHLers scoring at or above a point-per-game pace, among players with at least 20 games played. Yamamoto spent the last four seasons in an everyday NHL role, split across tenures with the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken. He had a career year in the 2021-22 campaign, when he potted 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games – a career-high in all scoring categories and games played.

But Yamamoto couldn’t find a way to make his scoring stick, and struggled to work out of a bottom-line rotation with his team’s extra forwards. He fell to 25 points in 58 games in the 2022-23 season, then managed just 16 points in 59 games with Seattle last year. A move to Utah was meant to serve as a spark, but after three pointless games to start the NHL season – Yamamoto was shipped back to the minors for his first AHL games since 2019-20.

Yamamoto’s call-up is purely for depth reasons, per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports – meaning Utah isn’t facing any additional injuries or absences. That could make it tough for Yamamoto to work his way into the lineup. If he does, it will likely come over bottom-six winger Matias Maccelli, who has just one point in his last 10 games. Maccelli is the only Utah forward without multiple points in their latest 10 appearances.

AHL| NHL| Players| Transactions| Utah Mammoth Kailer Yamamoto

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Avalanche Sign Isak Posch, Cooper Gay To Two-Year Deals

March 26, 2025 at 3:18 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 5 Comments

The Colorado Avalanche have joined in on the college free agent market by signing St. Cloud State University goaltender Isak Posch and University of St. Thomas forward Cooper Gay to two-year, entry-level contracts. Both deals are set to start next season. Neither player has been added to a minor league roster yet.

Posch will turn pro after completing his sophomore season at St. Cloud. He served as an oft-used backup in his freshman season and posted a meager 5-6-2 record and .901 save percentage in 14 games. But with his feet wet with college ice, Posch was able to win out the clear-cut starting role and post a much stronger statline this season. He ended the year with a .923 save percentage – the 11th-highest in the country among goalies with at least 20 games – and a strong 12-10-0 record.

Posch moved to America ahead of the 2021-22 season, after growing up through the IF Bjorkloven and Leksands IF systems in Sweden. He posted a dismal 9-23-3 record and .872 save percentage with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede in his first North American season – getting little support from a then-struggling Stampede defense. That prompted a move to the NAHL for the 2022-23 campaign, where Posch managed a much improved statline, with a 25-13-2 record and .926 save percentage. He entered college with that performance behind his sails, and found a way to continue the strong play into the next step. Posch will join a crowded goalie room in the Colorado organization – and likely faces a battle with players like Trent Miner and Adam Scheel for AHL ice time next season.

Gay will join the Avalanche organization after completing his junior year at St. Thomas. The six-foot-four, 210-pound winger was initially slow-going at the college flight, netting just seven points in 30 games of his freshman campaign. But he found his role as a bruiser on the boards and in the slot last season, helping push him to 12 goals and 21 points in 29 games as a sophomore. Gay built on those numbers this year, with 19 goals and 30 points in 35 games. He also served as one of St. Thomas’ alternate captain this year.

Gay grew up through Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in Minnesota, and spent seasons with the NAHL’s Minnesota Magicians and St. Cloud Norsemen, as well as the USHL’s Fargo Force. He wasn’t much of a scorer at the juniors level – totaling just 13 points in 40 NAHL games and 14 points in 51 USHL games. But he’s come along in recent years, as he continues to find comfort in his lumbering frame. While Posch will have a battle for ice time, Gay’s sturdy frame could give him a clear path to top-nine minutes in the minor leagues. With continued strong scoring, his nitch as a physical, net-front presence could even earn Gay NHL attention in the years to come.

AHL| Colorado Avalanche| NHL| Players| Transactions Cooper Gay| Isak Posch

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