LAS VEGAS — The Colorado Avalanche won the TJ Hughes sweepstakes.
Hughes, a 24-year-old senior from Michigan, signed a one-year entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season, the Avs announced Saturday. He will also sign a professional tryout contract with the Colorado Eagles and join them immediately.
“On the ice, he’s a two-way, 200-foot player with and without the puck,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “Great hockey IQ. We play a similar style to the Avs, so I think he’ll fit in well. Off the ice, I think he’ll be a great fit in that locker room. He was a captain and great leader for us. Those guys tend to know how to act when they get in a room with the (Gabe) Landeskogs, (Cale) Makars and (Nathan) MacKinnons) of the world.”
Michigan’s captain this season, Hughes was the highest-profile undrafted free agent in college hockey. He finished the year with 22 goals and 57 points in 40 games for the Wolverines, including a goal Thursday night in their semifinal loss to the University of Denver at the Frozen Four.
“There’s really no words,” Hughes said about his time at Michigan after the Wolverines lost in double overtime Thursday night to DU. “It means everything. I tried my best to leave it better than I found it. There’s so many unbelievable people within Michigan hockey that have impacted my life in a positive way.”
He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and also earned first-team All-America honors. Hughes, like fellow Michigan alum Gavin Brindley, also won Big Ten player of the year, helping the Wolverines to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tourney.
Hughes, listed at 6-foot and 185 pounds, was a star in college hockey for multiple years. He and Brindley were freshmen together in 2022-23 and played together for two seasons. Hughes finished his college career with 69 goals and 179 points in 150 games. The Wolverines made the Frozen Four three times in his four years.
“Oh my gosh, he changed the program,” Naurato said. “For him to come back this year, that’s a story we will be telling future players for years to come. He showed that you can come back and lead Michigan to championships, to Frozen Fours, while also making himself even more NHL ready.”
Hughes also spent three years with the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He was the AJHL MVP in 2021-22, and spent two years as teammates with Avs prospect Taylor Makar.
He is the latest victory for Colorado in the UDFA market. The Avs have had great success with signing players like Logan O’Connor and Sam Malinski and helping them become key NHL contributors. Malinski, who signed a four-year, $19 million contract extension with the Avs in late January that begins next season, is represented by the same agency as Hughes.
Colorado’s quest for another Stanley Cup has led the Avs to trade away many prospects and draft picks, which both motivates the Avs to be aggressive in the UDFA market and makes the franchise an attractive landing spot, as evidenced by the success of some of their signings. The Avs have also added Penn State forward Matthew DiMarsico and Bowling Green defenseman Gustav Stjernberg as UDFA’s in the past month.
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