The Avalanche inked defense prospect Jeremy Hanzel to a three-year, entry-level contract on Thursday, per a team announcement. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Colorado selected Hanzel, 21, in the sixth round of last year’s draft. The Coquitlam, British Columbia, native is in his fourth and final season of major junior hockey with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, where he’s on pace for career highs with 13 goals and 50 points in 58 games.
A strong outlet passer, Hanzel is a left-shot blue-liner who stands at 6-foot-1 and 196 lbs. Initially eligible for selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, he was passed over twice before heading to the Avs last summer. He was a league-leading +70 on a Thunderbirds team that won the WHL championship last season en route to a Memorial Cup appearance.
Given his age, Hanzel’s ELC is not eligible to slide. The contract will begin next season, when he’ll likely be assigned to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, and runs through 2026-27. He’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry.