Colorado Avalanche re-sign Wyatt Aamodt to one-year extension
The Colorado Avalanche have announced an extension for defenseman Wyatt Aamodt, re-signing him to a one-year contract.
Aamodt had just finished up his one-year contract that he signed after finishing his collegiate career in April 2022, where he had a $925,000 cap hit. He would have been a restricted free agent this offseason with arbitration rights had they not agreed to a deal. There are no confirmed details other than the length and that it is an NHL deal like the last one, but it’ll most likely fall around the same average annual value and will be a two-way contract.
Aamodt had a solid first season in professional hockey, as he had 3 goals, 15 assists, and 18 points in 52 games for the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, in the regular season, and got an additional assist in seven games in the playoffs as they lost in the division semifinals to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He also played three regular season games and nine playoff games in 2021-22 after signing with the Avs, although he went pointless in all 12 games.
Aamodt was an undrafted player, instead going to Minnesota State University to play for their WCHA team, where he had 10 goals, 19 assists, and 29 points in 123 games over the course of four seasons. He had spent three seasons in the USHL playing for the Chicago Steel and Lincoln Stars prior to his draft year, where he had 5 goals, 41 assists, and 46 points in 115 games over that span.
It’s the Avalanche’s second signing of the offseason after also signing defenseman Nathan Clurman to a one-year contract last week. They currently have 10 more players on expiring deals in their minor league system, with five unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents.
As for the big league team, the Avalanche currently have a bit over $13 million in cap space to work with this offseason, although they only have five forwards, five defensemen, and two goalies signed for next season, with the biggest free agent names being RFA Bowen Byram and UFA J.T. Compher. They’ll be looking to rebound from a disappointing first round exit amidst an injury-riddled season in hopes of returning to their Stanley Cup-winning success in 2022.