Red Wings sign prospect Carter Mazur to entry-level contract

A day after signing William Wallinder to a deal, the Detroit Red Wings have signed forward Carter Mazur to a three-year entry-level contract with an AAV of $925,000.

The 21-year-old will join the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season, with his NHL deal kicking in for 2023-24.

Mazur recently finished his second year at the University of Denver, scoring 22 goals and 37 points in 40 games. He had 36 goals and 75 points in 81 games over two years, highlighted by winning the NCAA national championship and being named NCHC rookie of the year last year.

Mazur made his mark with USA’s World Junior Championship team in 2022. He led all Americans with five goals and finished second behind San Jose’s Thomas Bordeleau (eight) with seven points through five contests. Since then, Mazur has continued to push himself up Detroit’s depth chart since getting taken 70th overall in 2021.

Mazur plays a tough-as-nails style that fans are going to grow to love. He’s aggressive, quick and loves to take players out of their own heads. It can sometimes get him into trouble, but you can count on Mazur to get fans riled up.

The Red Wings are 11 points behind Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot, and will instead focus on trying to land the highest pick for the 2023 NHL Draft. The team currently has five picks in the first two rounds this year, including the New York Islanders’ first-rounder that the team acquired from Vancouver in exchange for Filip Hronek. The Red Wings also have a pair of first-rounders for the 2024 NHL Draft after snagging one from Boston in exchange for Tyler Bertuzzi at the deadline.

So Mazur is entering a situation where he could play a sizeable middle-six role for a rebuilding club before long. Mazur’s tenacity will be a nice boost, and he’s no slouch as a goal-scorer, either.