NCAA standouts T.J. Hughes and Matthew DiMarsico have injected immediate offensive firepower and future promise into the Colorado Eagles' playoff push and Colorado Avalanches future
With the Colorado Avalanche in the playoffs, it should also serve as a reminder that the Colorado Eagles have started their AHL Calder Cup playoff run. They have had a solid season and are currently up 1-0 against the San Diego Gulls, thanks in part to some late-season acquisitions.
There's no surprise that the Avalanche prospect pool is lacking, but they have well sufficed that thirst for “younger” talent with NCAA free agents. It's been a staple in this team's past with Logan O’Connor and Sam Malinski, and how their NCAA free-agent signings have turned out with them this season, leading into the playoffs.
T.J. Hughes Is All There And Then Some
Leading to the end of the NCAA, the 2025-26 Hobey Baker nominee, T.J. Hughes, was a name that plenty of teams were interested in, and for good reason. In his senior year with the University of Michigan, he was named captain and finished with 22 goals and 35 assists for 57 points, second in the team in goals and assists while leading the team in points. Across the NCAA, he was ninth in goals, third in assists, and second in points.
That's why, when it came to the announcement that the Avalanche were signing him, it not only shone a light for them in the future but also provided current help for the Eagles in their playoff push with a couple of games remaining in the regular season when he signed. He played in two regular-season games and finished with a goal and an assist for two points. In his playoff debut, he assisted T.J. Tynan with the opening goal.
His ELC won’t kick in until the start of the 2026-27 season. We shall see how he does this post-season with the Eagles, in development, and in training camp, to see if he can fight for a spot with the Avalanche.
Matthew DiMarsico Flying Under The Radar
Just a couple of weeks before Hughes was signed, Matthew DiMarsico from Penn State University was signed, whom I thought was a real steal for the Avalanche. Coming off a career-high season that saw him score 18 goals and 24 assists for 42 points in a high-flying Penn State team that included pending top 2026 NHL Draftee Gavin McKenna. DiMarsico finished first in goals, third in assists, and second in points among all skaters in Penn State this season.
While he might not have Hughes's overall skills, being two years younger, he has time to develop his already best skills further and learn to bring more to his game. EliteProspects has this to say about him when he was draft-eligible during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
“DiMarsico just plays the game the right way. He isn’t overwhelmingly skilled, but his ability to force the opposition into turnovers and support the puck once it’s back in his team’s possession makes for constant offensive zone time. -EliteProspects 2024 NHL Draft Guide”
After signing, he played in seven games with the Eagles, scoring one goal and recording two assists for 3 points. In his playoff debut, he didn't record a point, but he has looked noticeable on the second line. He is someone who, with another year or two in the AHL, can further develop his game and work towards a call-up to the Avalanche.
Can Gustav Stjernberg Be Another Diamond In The Rough?
The earliest NCAA signing of the three, Stjernberg, is another big, heavy right-shot defenseman who not only the NHL but the Avalanche really love, and he has shown he can embrace it in his game through his time at Bowling Green State University.
In three seasons, he finished with 14 goals, 23 assists, 37 points, and a whopping 173 penalty minutes. When you're 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds at the age of 23, you can easily make a reputation for yourself with those qualities, and it highlights your game, in good and bad ways.
He played 11 regular-season games with the Eagles and finished with one goal and two assists for three points and 34 penalty minutes, which included a fight with John Hayden in his debut.
While his physicality on defense has shown his worth and continues to improve, it's his offensive production and play that will really stand the test of time if he can improve his playmaking skills or elevate his defensive capabilities to another level.
Look at Brett Kulak, for example, who the Avalanche acquired at the trade deadline. While he wasn’t brought in to score points, it's his experience, smarts, and defensive capabilities in a bottom-pairing role that really help the Avalanche, and he's shown it so far in the playoffs.
He might not turn out to be any super special, someone they might call up for a couple of games during the regular season in a divisional matchup against the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild if another defenseman is hurt. Though the thought of him really defining his game down and becoming a lock-down defenseman really sticks in my mind, turning out to be a Kulak 2.0-esque type player.
