Alex Kerfoot Signs With Colorado Avalanche

Thursday: The Avalanche have announced the signing, bringing in Kerfoot on a two-year entry-level contract worth $832K in the NHL.

Wednesday: In a stunning turn, NCAA free agent Alex Kerfoot has decided to sign with the Colorado Avalanche according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Dreger had included Colorado in Kerfoot’s “final five” last night, but not many people seemed to believe that he would end up with the Avalanche. The young center could step right into an NHL role with the club, though as we addressed last night there is likely a move to follow.

The 23-year old Kerfoot was selected in the fifth round by the New Jersey Devils in 2012, but became a free agent on August 16th when he failed to sign with the team. In four years at Harvard, he put up 123 points and captained the team during his senior season. A gifted playmaker, it’s still to be seen whether he can carry his offensive gifts to the professional level. A natural center he’ll have to fight for minutes along with Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Jost and J.T. Compher, as well as Matt Duchene if a trade isn’t reached before the season begins.

Dreger tweets that GM Joe Sakic “did a great job selling Kerfoot on his fit with the [Avalanche]” and that he could have a big role if a trade does go down. While MacKinnon and Jost were listed in Sakic’s untouchable group earlier this year, Compher is also expected to have a big role on the team going forward. There is always the possibility that Kerfoot or one of the others moves to the wing, but this does give them more depth should a Duchene move occur.

Like any NCAA free agent, excitement over Kerfoot should be limited until he shows that he has another level of play ready for the NHL. While his potential is promising, skating against players several years younger than you and with a much wider talent gap can hide deficiencies that will be exploited at the next level. Kerfoot will sign a two-year entry-level contract, and try to prove that he is one of the exceptions that was just underestimated in his draft year.