Colorado Avalanche sign two college prospects

The Colorado Avalanche just now announced they’re signed Hobey Baker finalist Ben Meyers to a two-year contract, through the 2022-23 season.

From the release:

Meyers, 23, just completed his junior year at the University of Minnesota, where he served as captain in 2021-22 and recorded 41 points (17g/24a) in 34 games. He led all Gophers skaters in points and goals, both career high marks, and also paced the team in game-winning tallies (5) and overtime goals (2). Meyers was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was named one of three hat trick finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey. He was also named to the Big Ten First All-Star Team and was an NCAA West Second-Team All-American selection.

The Delano, Minn., native represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China and registered four points (2g/2a) in four contests, finishing tied for second on the team in both goals and points.

Meyers has totaled 95 points (39g/56a) in 102 career NCAA contests with Minnesota. He served as an alternate captain his sophomore season in 2020-21 and was named an Honorable Mention All-Big 10 selection. As a freshman in 2019-20, Meyers was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was a finalist for the conference’s Freshman of the Year award.

Prior to starting his collegiate career, Meyers played two seasons with the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League from 2017-19. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound center served as an alternate captain for Fargo in his second campaign in 2018-19 and paced the club with 65 points and 33 goals. He was tied for fifth in the league in points and tied for third in goals while pacing the Force in both categories. He produced 110 points (58g/52a) in 124 career regular season USHL contests, setting an organizational record for most career regular-season goals. Meyers added eight points (5g/3a) in 19 total USHL postseason contests and helped Fargo capture the team’s first USHL Clark Cup as league champions in 2018.

On Tuesday, the Avs signed Minnesota State prospect defenseman Wyatt Aamodt to a one-year contract, through 2022-23.

More on him:

Aamodt, 24, completed his senior season at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he served as team captain and collected 12 points (6g/6a) in 41 games, helping the Mavericks advance to the national championship game. He ranked second among team defensemen in goals and was first among all Minnesota State skaters with 56 blocked shots. The 6-foot, 204-pound blueliner established career highs in goals, assists and points in 2021-22. He recorded a hat trick in a 7-1 win over Ferris State on Jan. 7, becoming the first Minnesota State defenseman in more than 20 years to score three times in a game.

Aamodt finished his four-year college career with 29 points (10g/19a) in 123 NCAA contests and helped the Mavericks capture the WCHA regular-season championship in three consecutive seasons from 2019-21, the CCHA regular-season title in 2022 and conference tournament championships in 2019 (WCHA) and 2022 (CCHA).

Prior to college, the Hermantown, Minn., native played 115 career contests in the United States Hockey League with the Chicago Steel and Lincoln Stars, totaling 46 points (5g/41a) from 2016-18.

Aamodt will report to the Colorado Eagles on amateur tryout contract for the rest of this season.

Here’s what Colby Cohen, an analyst for ESPN who covered the Frozen Four, told me about Aamodt: