Red Wings sign J.T. Compher to five-year deal

Compher spent the 2022-23 season with the Colorado Avalanche, where he registered a career-high 17 goals, and 35 assists for 52 points in 82 games. He added two points in seven playoff games. Compher was a part of the Avs’ 2022 Stanley Cup championship-winning squad; he tallied 33 points in 70 games that season and added eight points in 20 playoff games.

The Northbrook, Illinois product was initially drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013 NHL Draft. His rights were dealt to the Avalanche, and after a dominating NCAA season as captain in 2015-16 that saw the Wolverines win the NCAA B1G championship and Compher get a Hobey Baker Award Finalist nod after notching an NCAA-leading 47 assists, he embarked on going pro. 

He made his NHL debut in 2016-17. During his rookie campaign, he notched five points in 21 games and added 30 points in 41 games while playing for the Avs’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.

Throughout his career thus far, Compher has tallied 88 goals and 106 assists for 194 points in 423 regular season games. He has added 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 70 playoff games. 

Compher has represented Team USA twice at the IIHF World Championships, once in 2015-16 following his NCAA tenure; he notched three points in 10 games and again in 2016-17, scoring two goals in eight games. He won a gold medal with USA at the 2011-12 U18 Championships, where he notched five points in six games.