NHL

Wednesday's NHL: Ex-Wolverine J.T. Compher signs four-year deal with Avalanche

Associated Press
Former Wolverine J.T. Compher signed a four-year deal with the Avalanche on Wednesday.

Denver — J.T. Compher has signed a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche that runs through the 2022-23 season.

The 24-year-old forward had 16 goals and 16 assists for Colorado last season. He added four goals and two assists in a dozen playoff games, including two goals and an assist against San Jose in Game 6 of their second-round series on May 6.

Compher was one of eight NHL players with at least three short-handed, power-play and game-winning goals in 2018-19, and he was the first Colorado player to accomplish that feat since Joe Sakic in 2000-01.

Sakic, now the team’s general manager, called Compher “one of our most versatile forwards over the past two years.”

Selected by Buffalo in the second round of the 2013 draft out of Michigan, Compher was acquired by Colorado in 2015. He has 60 points in 156 regular-season games and nine points in 18 playoff games.

Wings re-sign Hicketts

The Red Wings re-signed defenseman Joe Hicketts to a two-year contract.

Hicketts played in 11 games with the Red Wings in 2018-19. He also had 27 points in 64 games with Grand Rapids in the AHL.

The 23-year-old Hicketts has no goals and three assists in 16 career NHL games.