10:35am: And just like that the Devils have made it official. The two-year entry-level contract does indeed start with the 2020-21 season. Thompson has reported to the team to begin his quarantine.
10:15am: According to AHL reporter Mark Divver, the New Jersey Devils have agreed to terms with prospect Tyce Thompson on his entry-level contract that will begin this season. Thompson is expected to report to the team today and could play in the NHL as soon as he is through the league’s protocols.
Thompson, 21, recently finished his junior season at Providence College, where he recorded 25 points in 25 games and was nominated for the Hobey Baker award. Originally selected 96th overall in 2019, the young winger was a star in all three years of college, totaling 94 points in 101 games. That included a 44-point campaign in 2019-20 that really opened eyes around the league, suggesting that he could have more NHL upside than originally believed.
The 6’1″ winger is the younger brother of Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson, who was selected much earlier perhaps because he is six inches taller. The younger Thompson has all the same history of offensive success and has now thrown himself into the mix for an NHL opportunity in the short-term. Even if that chance doesn’t come this season, the Devils certainly aren’t so full with talented forwards that Thompson will be blocked next year. Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri, and Nikita Gusev are all unrestricted free agents this summer, leaving a sizable gap upfront that will have to be filled internally.