Avalanche Signs Five Players to Two-Way Contracts

Jul 1, 2023

Denver - The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed defenseman Jack Ahcan to a two-year contract through the 2024-25 season and forwards Riley Tufte and Chris Wagner, defenseman Corey Schueneman and goaltender Arvid Holm to one-year contracts for the 2023-24 campaign.

Ahcan, 26, recorded 36 points (5g/31a) in 68 contests with Boston's American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins, during the 2022-23 season. He ranked second among Providence defensemen in points and finished tied for second on the team in assists. Ahcan appeared in four postseason contests with Providence, tallying two points (1g/1a) to finish tied for first among Bruins blueliners. 

The Savage, Minnesota, native has appeared in 133 career regular-season AHL contests, all with Providence, collecting 69 points (12g/57a). The defenseman has recorded two points (1g/1a) in six career AHL postseason outings. Ahcan has skated in nine career NHL games, tallying one point (1g/0a) and made his NHL debut on March 18, 2021 at Buffalo. The blueliner also appeared in two East Coast Hockey League contests with the Jacksonville Icemen during the 2020-21 season. 

Prior to turning pro, the 5-foot-8, 180-pound defenseman played four seasons of college hockey for St. Cloud State University from 2016-20, totaling 103 points (21g/82a) in 144 NCAA contests. As a freshman during the 2016-17 season, Ahcan collected 21 points (5g/16a) in 32 games, pacing all St. Cloud defensemen to earn a spot on the NCHC All-Rookie Team. As a junior in 2018-19, he was selected to the NCHC Second All-Star Team and the NCAA Second All-American Team after collecting 34 points (6g/28a) in 39 outings. Ahcan served as team captain as a senior in 2019-20 and recorded 25 points (7g/18a) in 33 to once again earn a spot on the conference's Second All-Star Team.

Ahcan played one season for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League in 2015-16, tallying 44 points (14g/30a) and a +14 plus/minus rating in 56 contests. He also added three points (1g/2a) in five postseason outings with the RoughRiders. 

Internationally, Ahcan represented his country at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording one point (0g/1a) in seven contests to help the United States capture the gold medal. 

Schueneman, 27, spent the majority of this past season with the AHL's Laval Rocket, recording 23 points (6g/17a) in 62 games. He ranked third among team defensemen in points, goals and assists (tied) and his +13 plus/minus rating was tied for second among all Laval skaters. He appeared in two playoff contests for the Rocket.

The 6-foot, 196-pound blueliner skated in seven NHL outings with Montreal in 2022-23, producing one point (0g/1a). Signed by Montreal as a free agent on April 2, 2021, Schuenman has appeared in 31 career NHL games, all with the Canadiens, recording seven points (2g/5a).  

Schueneman has skated in 180 career AHL games with Laval and the Stockton Heat, collecting 68 points (17g/51a) and a +18 rating. He also added four points (1g/3a) in 17 career AHL postseason contests. He served as an alternate captain for Laval during the 2021-22 season and helped the Rocket reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to Springfield in seven games. 

Schueneman has skated in four East Coast Hockey League games with the Kansas City Mavericks, producing three points (2g/1a) during the 2019-20 season. 

The Milford, Michigan, native played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Western Michigan University from 2015-19, collecting 82 points (14g/68a) in 144 regular-season NCAA contests. He served as team captain as a senior in 2018-19 and ranked second among team defensemen in points (22) and tied for first among Bronco blueliners in assists (19). 

Prior to college, Schueneman played 145 career contests in the United States Hockey League with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Des Moines Buccaneers, totaling 80 points (22g/58a) in 145 career games from 2011-2015. He led all USHL defensemen with 16 goals in 2014-15, earning a selection to the league's Third All-Star Team.

Tufte, 25, spent the majority of this past season with the AHL's Texas Stars, tallying 35 points (19g/16a) in 63 games. He tied for fifth on the team in goals and ranked fourth in plus/minus rating, finishing +23. Tufte skated in eight playoff contests, recording three points (0g/3a). He also appeared in three NHL games with Dallas. 

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound left wing has collected 79 points (35g/44a) in 206 career AHL games, all with Texas, and has recorded three points (0g/3a) in nine career Calder Cup Playoff outings. Tufte has skated in 13 career NHL contests, tallying one point (1g/0a). He made his NHL debut on Nov. 13, 2021 against Philadelphia and recorded his first NHL goal at Minnesota on March 6, 2022. 

Prior to turning pro, Tufte played three seasons of collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, totaling 64 points (34g/30a) and a +28 rating in 206 career NCAA contests. As a freshman in 2016-17, Tufte helped Minnesota-Duluth capture the NCHC tournament championship and reach the national championship game, where they fell to the Denver Pioneers. He was then part of the Bulldogs' championship runs in 2017-18 and 2018-19. 

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (25th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Tufte played two seasons in the United States Hockey League from 2014-16, totaling 19 points (11g/8a) in 34 career USHL games with the Fargo Force. 

Internationally, the Coon Rapids, Minnesota, native represented his country at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording three points (0g/3a) in seven outings to help the United States to a bronze medal. He also helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2015 U-17 World Hockey Challenge, notching one point (0g/1a) in six outings.

Wagner, 27, spent the majority of the 2022-23 season with Boston's American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins, recording 31 points (19g/12a) in 62 games. He ranked third on the team in goals and tied for first in shorthanded tallies (1). The 6-foot, 192-pound right wing also skated in one game for Boston.

A fifth-round selection (122nd overall) of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2010 NHL Draft, Wagner has recorded 63 points (37g/26a) in 360 career NHL games with Anaheim, Colorado, NY Islanders and Boston. He appeared in 26 games with the Avalanche during the 2015-16 season, tallying four points (4g). Wagner has produced eight points (7g/1a) in 59 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Anaheim and Boston. He helped the Ducks reach the Western Conference Final in 2016-17 and was with Boston for the 2019 Stanley Cup Final vs. St. Louis, but did not play in the series after suffering an injury in the Conference Final.

Wagner set NHL career highs in games played (76), goals (12) and points (19) during the 2018-19 season with the Bruins. The Walpole, Massachussets, native has also played in 363 career AHL contests with Norfolk, San Diego and Providence, totaling 164 points (89g/75a). He recorded 28 points (15g/13a) in 2014-15, earning a selection to play in the AHL All-Star Game.

Prior to turning pro, Wagner played two seasons of college hockey for Colgate University from 2010-12, collecting 70 points (26g/44a) in 79 career games. As a sophomore in 2011-12, he recorded a career-high 51 points (17g/34a), earning a spot on the ECAC Second All-Star Team.

Holm, 24, appeared in 35 games for the Manitoba Moose in 2022-23, posting an 18-11-4 record, 2.67 goals-against average and .911 save percentage to finish tied for second among rookie goaltenders in save percentage, ranked third in goals-against average and tied for fourth in wins. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound netminder also played in one Calder Cup Playoff contest, his first AHL postseason appearance.

Selected by Winnipeg in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Holm has played in 59 career AHL games, all with the Moose, recording a 2.77 goals-against average, .899 save percentage, 30-21-6 record and one shutout. 

Prior to playing in North America, Holm spent two full seasons with Färjestad BK in the Swedish Hockey League, the top professional league in Sweden. The Ljungby, Sweden, native was 33-20-0 in 55 career SHL contests with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. He also spent one season (2018-19) with Karlskrona HK in Sweden's second-tier league, HockeyAllsvenskan, and two seasons (2016-18) with Karlskrona's junior team.