Avalanche sign Gustav Stjernberg to two-year, entry-level contract
The Colorado Avalanche have cast their net into this year’s pool of college free agents.
On Friday, the team announced they have signed defenseman Gustav Stjernberg to two-year, entry-level contract.
We have signed Gustav Stjernberg to a two-year contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. He will join the Colorado Eagles on an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
According to the team, the deal will kick in for the start of the 2026-27 season, and Stjernberg will play on an AHL contract for the Avalanche’s minor-league affiliate Colorado Eagles for the remainder of this season. The exact financial details of the deal have not yet been released.
Stjernberg, 23, is coming off a three-year career playing collegiately for Bowling Green State University. In 25 games this season serving as an alternate captain, the Swedish national had six goals and four assists for 10 points. Last season, he put up four goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 30 games. In the 2023-24 season, his first for Bowling Green, he registered four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 31 games. Overall in his collegiate career, Stjernberg compiled 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 86 games played.
After his junior career in Sweden, Stjernberg came to North America for the 2022-23 season, in which he played one year for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers and notched eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 62 games.
While Stjernberg’s offensive numbers may not jump out at you, he strikes an imposing figure at 6’4″ and over 200 pounds. He also racked up 173 penalty minutes during his collegiate career for Bowling Green.
Colorado currently holds poll position for the Presidents’ Trophy, with 97 points through 64 games played. They have a five-point cushion over the Dallas Stars as the next closest team.
The Avalanche will finish up a miniature two-game road trip on Saturday when they visit the Winnipeg Jets, before returning home to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.