Red Wings sign Dylan James to entry-level contract
A talented scorer in the collegiate ranks is ready to try his hand at pro hockey.
On Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that the team has signed forward Dylan James to a two-year, entry-level contract. The deal is set to begin with the 2026-27 season, with James joining the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the remainder of the campaign on an amateur tryout.
The signing comes not long after James and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks were eliminated from the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament, as the team was eliminated in the Frozen Four semifinals by the upstart Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday night.
It certainly wasn’t the way James and his team wanted things to end, as North Dakota expected to win a national championship, but it doesn’t take away from the impressive senior season of the 22-year-old.
James put together the best performance of his college tenure in 2025-26. In 40 games, he set career highs in goals (21), assists (11) and points (32). He exited the season tied for 11th in the nation in goals, leading North Dakota in that category while sitting fifth on the team in scoring.
A four-time AHCA All-Academic Team member, James has played a crucial role in helping the Fighting Hawks win a pair of NCHC regular-season titles during this time in Grand Forks.
In 154 games with NoDak, James notched 52 goals and 37 assists for 89 points.
Prior to going to college, James helped the Sioux City Musketeers win the United States Hockey League’s Clark Cup in 2022.
James was originally taken by the Red Wings in the second round, 40th overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft. While he isn’t the biggest winger in the game, he’s a strong 6-foot-1 and close to 200 pounds. He’s strong on and away from the puck and isn’t afraid to drive the net, taking defenders with him. While he’s shown he can be a solid scoring threat, James is a very underrated asset in his own zone, showing the potential to be a solid two-way player in the pro game.