Riley Tufte was born on April 10, 1998, in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The Dallas Stars selected him in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, 25th overall. While he’s bounced around in Dallas, playing in both the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL), – write out he signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 1st, 2023, and things have been looking pretty good for the 25-year-old.
Tufte’s Early Start Throughout His Career
Before he was drafted, Tufte played four seasons at United States High School – Minnesota (USHL-MN), playing 98 games and scoring 89 goals and 167 points. He also saw action in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Fargo Force, playing in seven games, scoring one goal and adding four assists.
Tufte then went on to the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), playing 121 games over three seasons, scoring 34 goals and 64 points. Add one season in the USHL, where in 27 games, he scored 10 goals and four assists, and an appearance in the 2017-18 World Juniors Classic (WJC) with the United States U-20 team, where he had three assists in seven games and went on to win the bronze medal.
Related: Riley Tufte – The Next Ones: NHL 2016 Draft Prospect Profile
In 2019-20, he joined the Texas Stars of the AHL. During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, he appeared in 89 games, scoring six goals and 24 points, while moving between the NHL and AHL.
Tufte’s Eventual Journey to the Avalanche
Tufte made his NHL debut on Nov. 13, 2021, against the Philadelphia Flyers. He played 10 games with the Stars, tallying one assist, before being sent down, which would be a recurring theme with Tufte. He played a total of 13 NHL games and 117 AHL games in two seasons, never being able to solidify his place in the Stars’ lineup. He ended up scoring 29 goals and 55 points during his time with the Texas Stars.
After the Stars declined to re-sign him this past offseason, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Avalanche. The Avalanche put Tufte to use immediately, starting the first three games of the season on the main roster but later being sent down to the Colorado Eagles. Tufte aims to demonstrate why the Avalanche may want to recall and retain him beyond this season.
What is Tufte’s Game and How Can It Grow
At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Tufte has the size to be a solid center, but he’s a left-winger. He uses his body and physical abilities to his advantage in the game, being a mean net-front presence upfront and having the physicality to battle for pucks in the defensive zone. Being able to play center might be key to him making the main roster, but Miles Wood and the third line are playing so well.
Finding a use for Tufte will be easy, but it’s a matter of who he should replace or when to bring him up full-time. If he stays on the left wing, where players like Tomas Tatar, Andrew Cogliano, and Jonathan Drouin will become free agents after this season, there could be a space for him if he seems ready.
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However, if he can develop his game at center, could players like Fredrik Olofsson or Joel Kiviranta be sent down in favor of Tufte’s size and physical play? Tufte’s recent performances suggest he could be called upon if needed, whether due to injury or to rest/bench players during the season.
Riding the Hot Hand After Starting Cold
In his first seven games with the Eagles this season, Tufte scored nine goals and 11 points, averaging 5.5 shots per game (granted, he had 14 shots in his first game) and scoring a hatrick against the Ontario Reign.
However, in his last five games, Tufte’s shooting has cooled down to 2.6 shots per game, and he only has one goal in that span. However, he has six assists to bring his totals to nine goals and 17 points in 12 games this season, ranked seventh in goals and eighth in points in the AHL.
Tufte’s Time to Shine
He effectively uses his size to create a strong presence in front of the net, his willing to shoot the puck and be aggressive, and has surprisingly great speed for his frame, he has all the attributes to fit in well with head coach Jared Bednar’s system. He needs to build on his strengths and elevate his game to secure a spot in the NHL.
Surprise Last-Minute Call-Up to the Avs
As of this writing, Tufte was a late call-up for the Avalanche’s game on Wednesday, Nov. 23, against the Vancouver Canucks. He played right-wing on the third line with Wood and Ross Colton in place of Logan O’Connor. Tufte scored a goal, giving the Avalanche the lead early in the third period; he also had two shots on goal while registering nine minutes of ice time.
