The Colorado Avalanche got some offseason business out of the way today, re-signing pending restricted free agent defenseman Nate Clurman to a one-year contract extension. Per CapFriendly, the deal pays Clurman $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.
Clurman, 25, is one of the few hometown players in the organization, hailing from Boulder, Colorado. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Clurman’s strength and transitional game are the hallmarks of his style, which he’s spent the past few seasons honing within the minor ranks of the Avalanche organization.
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft directly out of high school, Clurman is one of the rare prospects to have high school hockey on his résumé after being drafted into the league. He played the 2016-17 campaign with the Culver Military Academy prep program before transferring to junior hockey the following year, splitting the season between three USHL teams.
Clurman then made the jump to college play, logging three seasons at the University of Notre Dame before turning pro and signing with the Avs. In his junior year, he served as the program’s captain and scored four goals after not lighting the lamp once throughout his first and second seasons.
His offense has actually taken a sizable jump since turning pro, as extended time with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 2021-22 did him well. It prepped him for a solid 2022-23 season, where he played in 57 regular-season games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, registering 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) and a +11 rating.
A full-time NHL career is likely out of the cards for Clurman at this point, given his age, but another improved season in the minors could warrant another extension next offseason and potential NHL call-ups if injuries strike.