Fresh off a national championship, Western Michigan captain Tim Washe is headed to the Ducks on a one-year entry-level contract beginning immediately, the team announced. The undrafted free-agent center will immediately become a restricted free agent this summer. He’s expected to make his NHL debut in tomorrow’s penultimate regular-season game against the Wild, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
Washe, 23, was only eligible for a one-year contract because he turns 24 before Sep. 15. He’ll earn an extremely prorated salary figure for the final few days of the season before negotiating a standard one-way or two-way deal with Anaheim over the offseason.
The 6’3″, 216-lb pivot arrives in Anaheim after captaining the Broncos to their first Frozen Four appearance and national title in program history, defeating Boston University 6-2 in last weekend’s championship game. The fifth-year forward finished the season in second place on the team in scoring, erupting for a 16-22–38 line in 42 games. That’s more output than he had in his four previous seasons at WMU combined. The Detroit native only posted 12-24–36 in 129 NCAA games from 2020-21 through 2023-24.
That big of a breakout that late in a player’s development generally doesn’t bode well for their NHL ceiling, but he was dominant enough this season in a winning effort for multiple NHL teams to step up with offers. One of them was Minnesota, Russo relays, but the Wild were informed this morning that Washe opted not to sign with them.
Washe joins an Anaheim center pipeline that doesn’t have a ton of help coming after Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish solidified themselves as top-nine forwards over the last couple of seasons. While Washe quantifies as more of a young free agent pickup than a legitimate prospect add, there’s an opening for him to prove he can handle an NHL depth role heading into training camp next fall as a hardworking fourth-line piece, whether down the middle or on the wing.
Washe kills it on face-offs. Not a bad skill to have.
@Gbear — With only two guys who are at or above 50% on draws, they better not rot him in the 3C/4C slots. At 6’3″, 216 lbs., he should get a legit look at 1C or 2C. Makes you wonder what ANA could do with more puck-possession time…
@Mac – His skill set certainly would help on special teams. He killed Denver U. in that semi-final game on faceoffs.
There is no way he replaces Leo or McT at 1C or 2C.
@jminn – If he can dominate right out of the gate, he could easily rise to 1C. BUT, that is a big “if” right now. If Cronin gives him a shot, and he impresses, you can’t argue against a spot in the top six.
Three of the last five Stanley Cup champions have been under 50% on faceoffs in the postseason
@Josh – Sometimes FO% can be misleading, eh? If a team is underwater, they really need to be puck hounds and retrieve what they just lost. That can make for exciting games.
When you win the faceoffs is as important as the percentages.