After a rocky collegiate start, Humphreys found his stride in the OHL. Now, his elite vision and offensive explosion offer a rare spark for Colorado’s future.
It's been said time and time again that the Colorado Avalanche prospect pool is pretty thin. Many scouting outlets rank the pool among the league's lowest, and it makes sense. Many, if not all, of the Avalanche's top prospects or high-round picks have been traded to help the current team compete for a Stanley Cup, which has resulted in them drafting in the later rounds and hoping to find a gem in the rough.
At the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Avalanche made nine selections from rounds two to seven, the most since the 2007 Entry Draft. The sections are already showing some promise and have helped the team in some ways. Ilya Nabokov looks like the goalie of the future. Will Zellers was traded for Charlie Coyle, who was flipped for Gavin Brindley. Max Curran was a part of the massive trade for Nazem Kadri.
Though there was one prospect I wanted to keep an eye on, Christian Humphreys, out of the U.S. National U18 Team in the NTDP. What started as a rough initial step into the NCAA turned into a stepping stone into the OHL, and with a new look and growing confidence, his return to the NCAA and what he can truly bring to the Avalanche franchise.
First Steps Into The OHL
During his first season with the Kitchener Rangers, I had the opportunity to talk with him about his transition from the NCAA to the OHL, the mental toll it took on him, and any impacts it had on how he plays the game. It impacted him a ton, and it showed on the score sheet, with only one point in his first ten games. Add on less ice time; he knew that if he wanted to continue to grow as a player, he needed to do what was best for him, and that meant signing an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
“Yeah, I mean obviously the deadline was a part of it…it’s hard whenever you’re a player, and you’re playing good hockey, and you’re not getting rewarded for it, it’s frustrating. And I think for me there’d be games where I’d play really well, and I’m still only getting eight minutes a night, and you’re kind of sitting there as a player, what more do I need to do? And obviously, a little bit in the season, I had talks with my family about it, and I was like, hey, maybe this isn’t the best option for me… , but I think just the opportunity when it presented itself, it was hard to say no.”
The transfer showed immediately, in his first 14 games with the team, he already had four goals and 12 assists for 16 points. He applauds the work ethic and ease of transition his teammates showed when he was introduced into the lineup and worked on integrating his skills and talents into their system.
“Yeah, I think for me the biggest part is they’re just letting me be who I am. Obviously, the second I got here, the guys were phenomenal. I mean I can’t really put into words how great they were and the second I stepped in the locker room, they’re so happy to have me and the culture here is, you can’t really describe it. I mean all the guys are so close, and we have such a special group this year and I think just playing wise, even talking to coaches, they’re just letting me play…I just stepped in here, and they’re like, obviously on the defensive side we’re going to teach you some pointers and stuff, and it’s great. And whenever I get in the offensive side, they’re just letting me be who I am, so I can’t really thank them enough.”
Humphreys finished the season with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points, helping the Rangers finish second in the Midwest Division, second in the Western Conference, and into the playoffs. Despite a strong run against the Flint Firebirds and upsetting the Windsor Spitfires, they would be swept by the eventual OHL champions, the London Knights. He would finish with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 13 playoff games.
Elevating His Game And Then Some
This past season for Humphreys and the Rangers was one to remember for both him and the team. Finishing with 27 goals and 58 assists (fifth most in the OHL) for 85 points (10th most in the OHL), he helped the Rangers not only finish first in the Midwest Division but first in the Western Conference, missing out first in the league by five points to the Brantford Bulldogs.
He, along with Jack Pridham (Blackhawks), Cameron Reid (Predators), Sam O'Reilly (Lightning), and Luca Romano (Islanders), were a few NHL prospects to help lead this team into the playoffs, and they did not disappoint.
The Rangers went on a tear against anyone who came in infront of their path towards the finals, beating the Saginaw Spirit, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and the Windsor Spitfires, all in five games, leading to their eventual championship matchup against the Barrie Colts, who just pulled off a massive upset against the Brantford Bulldogs in seven games.
That didn't stop the Rangers from continuing their warpath and eventually sweeping the Colts to secure the OHL Championship, their fifth in franchise history. Humphreys finished with nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points, including the game-winning goal to secure the OHL championship. He finished in points only behind Dylan Edwards (25) and playoff MVP O'Reilly, who had 28.
Humphreys and Kitchener will now represent the OHL in the Memorial Cup, which begins in Kelowna on May 22.
Take Two In The NCAA
With the season over and a championship under his name, its time to return back where it all started, the NCAA. It was announced that he has commitment to join the University of Minnesota next season.
Now the Gophers had a pretty disappointing past season, finishing with a record of 11-21-3, their most losses in a season since the 1997-98 season. Though this could be good for Humphreys, he can help anchor a team that had a rough last season and be a driving force to help them bounce back into the playoffs.
He's joining a group that includes Mace'o Phillips (Flames 2025 3rd round draft pick), Tanner Henricks (Blue Jackets 2024 4th round pick), Tarin Smith (Ducks 2024 3rd round pick), and potentially many more talented prospects.
It's hard to tell what a prospect can really do for your organization. You want to see what they did in the minors carry over into the NHL and help your team win, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. It's "easier" for first- and second-round picks, but expecting a seventh-round pick to slot into an NHL lineup and help produce is a lot to ask.
Humphreys is only 20, so there is still quite some time to grow and develop his skills but this past season with the Rangers really turned some heads and showed what talent is really has. If he can continue that in the NCAA with Minnesota, I hope that can lead to him signing his ELC and continuing to grow as a player in the AHL and one day in the NHL.
