The Avalanche made two moves Friday that resulted in a reunion of former University of Minnesota teammates with Colorado’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.
First, the Avalanche returned former Gophers winger Ryan Stoa to the Monsters. He’s been on Denver-Cleveland shuttle of late, and his latest recall was Wednesday as a manpower insurance measure, but he didn’t suit up against Calgary.
Then the Avalanche announced the signing of Gophers senior center Michael Carman to an entry level contract and assigned him to the Monsters.
Stoa went to Colorado at the 34th choice of the 2005 draft, six slots before the Avalanche claimed Paul Stastny. The Avalanche took Carman a year later, with the 81st overall choice. He had eight goals and 10 assists in 39 games this season for the Gophers, who didn’t make the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Final Five and finished their season last weekend. In four seasons at Minnesota, he had 29 goals and 37 assists in 135 games.
