When the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired Jack Pridham from the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this week, a key part of the trade was that the 20-year-old forward needed to either commit to play NCAA hockey during the 2026-27 season or sign an entry-level contract. It was immediately reported that he had done the former, but his team for the upcoming season remained somewhat a mystery. Shortly after the trade, Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects stated that [https://x.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/2061486818936418688] it seemed Pridham would be attending the University of Denver to play under highly-regarded head coach David Carle. On Wednesday, that was confirmed by Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, a notable reporter in the world of collegiate hockey. Pridham spent nearly two full seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kitchener Rangers, winning the Memorial Cup with fellow Lightning prospect Sam O'Reilly this season. In 113 career OHL games, Pridham scored 73 goals for the Rangers and tallied a total of 144 points. Pridham ended his junior hockey career on a high note, and now he'll look to help Denver win a second-straight National Championship next season. If they're able to do so, it'll be Denver's third title in four seasons.
