The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks have signed University of Denver hockey alum Cole Guttman to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in the upcoming 2022-23 campaign.

Guttman, 23, spent four seasons at Denver from 2018-22 and served as team captain last season, leading the squad to its record-tying ninth national championship. He finished his collegiate career ranked 53rd all-time in program history in scoring, recording 121 points (55 goals, 66 assists) in 140 games.

The Northridge native was the only Pioneer on the team last year to finish in the top three in all three scoring categories, registering a career-high 19 goals, 26 assists and 45 points. He appeared in all 41 games and took a team-high 940 faceoffs, leading DU and ranking second in the country with 579 faceoff wins. His .616 faceoff-winning percentage was the fourth-best mark in the entire NCAA during the campaign.

Named the 92nd captain prior to the season on Sept. 7, 2021, Guttman appeared in his 100th career game in the 2021-22 season opener on Oct. 8 against Arizona State. He became the 101st player to join DU’s 100-point club on Jan. 20 at Colorado College and the 60th Pioneer to score 50 career goals on Feb. 11 versus Minnesota Duluth. In his final contest at Magness Arena on March 12, Guttman tied a career high with four points (two goals, two assists) against Miami in Game 2 of the NCHC quarterfinals.

The recipient of DU Hockey’s Bill Masterton MVP Award the last two years (2020-21, 2021-22), Guttman was named an All-NCHC Honorable Mention last season while also earning NCAA West Regional Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring the game-winning goal and adding an assist against Minnesota Duluth in the regional final on March 18, securing Denver’s berth to the Frozen Four. A four-time member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team and a two-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, Guttman also earned the team’s Dallas Gaume Award for Offensive Player of the Year (2020-21) and the Dr. Ralph Verploeg Most Inspirational Player Award (2021-22) in his time at DU.

He was also named Denver Athletics’ Male Student-Athlete of the Year for 2021-22.

A product of the Los Angeles Jr. Kings program, Guttman joined the Pioneers after playing two-plus seasons with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. He recorded 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 53 contests in 2016-17 and registered 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 17 outings as team captain of Saints in 2017-18.

Selected in the sixth round at No. 180 overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Guttman became an unrestricted free agent earlier this week after his rights were not retained by the club.

Photo/Mark Kuhlmann

(August 19, 2022)