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Report: Avalanche To Sign Top College Free Agent From Michigan
TL;DR
The Avalanche are set to sign T.J. Hughes, a top college free agent from Michigan, following his senior season. Hughes, 24, had a standout year with 22 goals and 35 assists in 40 games.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesJunfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Avalanche are expected to sign top college free agent T.J. Hughes, according to Sportsnet’s NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.
Hughes, 24, is regarded as the best unsigned college free agent from this year’s crop. He wrapped up his senior season with the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday following a 4-3 double overtime loss to Denver in the Frozen Four semifinal. He scored the second Wolverines goal.
Listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, the forward registered career highs across the board this year, recording 22 goals, 35 assists, and 57 points in 40 games. It’s his third straight season with more than a point per game, following a successful 36-point freshman campaign in 39 games.
Prior to joining the Wolverines, Hughes spent three seasons with the Brooke Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League — the same team Cale Makar played for when the Avalanche drafted him No. 4 overall in 2017. In 2021-22, Hughes obliterated his career highs with the Bandits, recording a whopping 66 goals and 61 assists for 127 points in 60 games. He also had 12 goals and 11 assists in 11 playoff games.
He joined the Wolverines the following season.
The native of Hamilton, Ont., shares an agent with Colorado’s Sam Malinski, who was an under-the-radar college free agent signing in 2023. Malinski has since become a full-time NHLer with the Stanley Cup-contending Avs, and recently signed a contract extension worth $4.75 million per season.
It’s unclear when Hughes’ signing will become official, whether the Avalanche will use him before the end of the regular season to burn the first year of his deal, or whether his deal will start in 2026-27.
He is not related to former Wolverines Quinn and Luke Hughes.
More to come.
The post Report: Avalanche To Sign Top College Free Agent From Michigan appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.
Q&A
Who is T.J. Hughes and what are his career statistics?
T.J. Hughes is a 24-year-old forward who played for the Michigan Wolverines, recording 22 goals and 35 assists for a total of 57 points in 40 games during his senior season.
What does T.J. Hughes's signing mean for the Avalanche?
Signing T.J. Hughes adds a high-scoring forward to the Avalanche's roster, enhancing their offensive capabilities as he has consistently performed above a point-per-game average in college.
When did T.J. Hughes finish his college hockey season?
T.J. Hughes completed his college hockey season on Thursday after a 4-3 double overtime loss to Denver in the Frozen Four semifinal.
