The Colorado Avalanche were active during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, making several moves to move back into the later rounds and acquiring additional draft picks for this and future drafts. Including the 2024 Trade Deadline, the Avalanche made a minor deal with the Nashville Predators, which included them sending Kurtis MacDermid to the New Jersey Devils for prospect Zakhar Bardakov and a 2024 seventh-round pick. Bardakov has been solid while playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, while the Avalanche would wait until the draft to use the seventh-round pick.
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The Avalanche selected Christian Humphreys from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) with the 215th pick in Round 7 of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. I was lucky enough to sit down with him and discuss his time with the NTDP, his time with Michigan in the NCAA, and his recent move to the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Humphreys Time With NTDP Leading Up to the Draft
Humphreys played in the NTDP for two seasons. In his first year with the U.S. National U17 Team, he scored 23 goals and 20 assists for 43 points, and 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points for the USNTDP Juniors in the United States Hockey League (USHL). In his second season with the team, he scored 23 goals and 35 assists for 58 points in the NTDP, and seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in the USHL. From Cole Eiserman and Teddy Stiga to Cole Huston and EJ Emery, Humpherys talked about how much talent the team had made him and his teammates learn so much through practices and games every single day.
“It was just, obviously you were playing with so many special players throughout our two years and even for me, whenever you’re in practise with ’em, you kind just see ’em do new things or see ’em, do things that you normally wouldn’t do and it kind of just expands some of the plays that you like to make… I’ve learned a lot from there. I mean each game, each practice you feel like you’re doing better every day.”
After finishing the season strong and declaring for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, many scouts had Humphreys projected as high as the fourth round to as late as the sixth round. However, it was a shock when he was almost 11 picks away from being undrafted. But just being drafted was a blessing for Humphreys, and he uses that as motivation daily to improve. He doesn’t look at where he was drafted as a “hindrance” but just a “number” to improve daily as a hockey player.
“Obviously, things were a little bit frustrating for me and it was just kind of a blessing in disguise. I think for me it’s just getting better every single day. I look at that (his draft number) and it’s just a number to me, even building up to the draft, you don’t really pay attention to that stuff. I just get to play hockey now and obviously I’m lucky that I’m in a great organization now.”
Humphreys’ Experience with Michigan
Now drafted with the Avalanche, Humphreys was off to Michigan in the NCAA to continue his hockey career. Joining players like Michael Hage, William Whitelaw, and Jackson Hallum, he explained why Michigan was the right choice for him.
“Yeah, I mean I think a big one for me, it was close to home. It was only a four-hour drive and for me and my family, they’re a huge factor for me, and the school has so much history and I mean it was kind of for me in the situation it was like, I’m either going there or Penn State.”
Unfortunately, Humphreys didn’t get the start he wanted in his first year with Michigan, as he struggled to get much going offensively.
In ten games played, he only had one assist and was a minus-2. He talked about how he had to stay confident through his lack of production, making sure he was doing everything right on the ice to make sure the team came out with the win, but he struggled with the amount of time he got on the ice to produce at a level he knows he can.
“Yeah, I mean obviously I think for me, it was all about getting my confidence back and just of a development standpoint. It’s hard whenever you’re playing seven minutes a night there and really only getting looks in the second power play and I think for me the change was hey, let’s take a step back. Let’s start developing my game and let’s just get a lot more puck touches.”
Taking the Necessary Steps to Better His Future
Realizing his current struggles with the team and lack of production, causing him to lose ice time, Humphreys, with his family and friends, had to decide if Michigan was the right place for him as a growing hockey player. After realizing it wasn’t, they decided to leave the NCAA and sign an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement with the Kitchener Rangers.
“Yeah, I mean obviously the deadline was a part of it…it’s hard whenever you’re a player, and you’re playing good hockey, and you’re not getting rewarded for it, it’s frustrating. And I think for me there’d be games where I’d play really well, and I’m still only getting eight minutes a night, and you’re kind of sitting there as a player, what more do I need to do? And obviously a little bit in the season I had talks with my family about it, and I was like, hey, maybe this isn’t the best option for me… , but I think just the opportunity when it presented itself, it was hard to say no.”
The change appeared to be a blessing in disguise for Humphreys, and he has been able to rediscover what makes his game so special offensively with a strong Rangers team. In 14 games, he has four goals and 12 assists for 16 points. He credits his teammates as one of the biggest reasons that he succeeded in the role he was brought into and talked about how he was able to “drop” into their system offensively with ease and use his skill set to the fullest potential, leading to not only personal success but team success as well.
“Yeah, I think for me the biggest part is they’re just letting me be who I am. Obviously, the second I got here, the guys were phenomenal. I mean I can’t really put into words how great they were and the second I stepped in the locker room, they’re so happy to have me and the culture here is, you can’t really describe it. I mean all the guys are so close, and we have such a special group this year and I think just playing wise, even talking to coaches, they’re just letting me play…I just stepped in here, and they’re like, obviously on the defensive side we’re going to teach you some pointers and stuff, and it’s great. And whenever I get in the offensive side, they’re just letting me be who I am, so I can’t really thank them enough.”
Though Humphreys isn’t taking it easy, even though he only played in ten games in the NCAA and 14 games and counting in the OHL, he is still adapting to the playstyle the OHL brings compared to the NCAA, especially when it comes to the level of talent he faces every night while being surprised by how physical the league is.
“I think a lot of people when they first come they’re like, oh, the NCAA is way more physical, but you step into this league, and honestly it’s just as physical if not more…, there’s a lot of young skilled guys, a lot of talent. It’s nice every single game I’m matching up against a bunch of first-rounders and that’s great for me. I mean like I said, it’s just as hard as college, but there’s some small differences for sure.”
Like many prospects in the league and within the Avalanche organization, Humphrey understands that the real challenge begins now. Securing a starting position in the NHL is one of the most challenging tasks, especially when competing against numerous others in the organization. He recognizes that prioritizing the team’s success over personal achievements can lead to a longer career in the NHL. Humphreys is committed to embracing whatever plan the organization has to ensure he enjoys a lengthy career.
“Yeah, I mean I think for me, it’s just buying in and once you have that kind of mentality, whether you’re in a top six role or bottom six role, it’s kind of just doing the little things for the team. And I think the biggest thing for me that I found is whenever you put the team first, you’re just going to have more individual success and it kind of just benefits everyone throughout all of it. And like I said, if you’re not going to be at your best, your A game, you got to find a B game and try and figure it out.”
Humphreys has had a busy year. The transition from the NTDP to the University of Michigan, followed by a quick move to the OHL, has put him in an unfamiliar headspace. However, the change to the Kitchener Rangers has set him back on the development path we observed when he played with the U.S. U18 National Team. At 19 years old, he still has one more year to return to the OHL and continue developing his game before he becomes eligible to sign his entry-level contract (ELC) and potentially start playing games for the Colorado Eagles in the American Hockey League (AHL).
