Minnesota State's Wyatt Aamodt of Hermantown signs NHL deal with Colorado Avalanche

Hermantown native Wyatt Aamodt has signed a one-year entry-level NHL contract with the Colorado Avalanche as an undrafted free agent for the 2022-23 season after captaining Minnesota State to the NCAA championship game this season.

Aamodt, 24, who helped lead Hermantown High School to a Minnesota Class A state championship in 2016, will report this spring to Avalanche's top minor-league affiliate, the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League, on an amateur tryout agreement for the rest of the 2021-22 season.

The former Hawks standout defenseman finished his four-year college career at Minnesota State with 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in 123 career games. His six goals, six assists and 12 points this season were all collegiate highs as he captained the Mavericks to regular season and postseason titles in the CCHA. Aamodt, who registered the first hat trick by a Minnesota State defenseman in 20 years in 2021-22, helped get the Mavericks to the NCAA Frozen Four for the second consecutive season, and they were a win away from the program's first Division I national championship before losing 5-1 to Denver in Boston on Saturday.

Aamodt put up five goals and 38 assists as a senior at Hermantown in 2015-16 when the Hawks won their first state championship since 2007 and just the second in school history.