Detroit Red Wings sign forward Nolan Stevens

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman announced that the club has signed free agent forward Nolan Stevens to a one-year, two-way contract.

According to CapFriendly, the contract will have an average annual value (AAV) of $775,000. Stevens will have an American Hockey League (AHL) salary of $150,000.

Stevens spent the 2022-23 season with the Utica Comets of the AHL. He registered 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 48 games, ranking seventh among Comets’ skaters. He added two points in six AHL playoff contests.

The Sea Isle City, New Jersey, product was initially drafted No. 125 overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2016 NHL Draft. He spent four seasons with Northeastern University in the NCAA and, in 2015-16, helped the Huskies capture the NCAA Hockey East championship. Stevens was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team and the Honorable Mention All-Star Team after notching 20 goals and 42 points in 41 games.

Stevens made his AHL debut in 2018-19 with the San Antonio Rampage, notching 18 points in 59 games. He followed that up with a 31-point season before moving on to play for the Comets in 2020-21. Stevens has also played for the Springfield Falcons and the Iowa Wild. Throughout his career thus far, the 26-year-old has tallied 119 points in 237 AHL games.

Stevens represented the USA internationally at the IIHF U18 World Junior Championships in 2013-14. He scored one goal in seven games and captured a gold medal on a squad that featured Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, Stanley Cup champion Jack Eichel, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, and Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, to name a few players.

It is expected that Stevens will play for the Red Wings AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the 2023-24 season. The Griffins compiled a 28-36-4-4 record during the 2022-23 AHL season.