LOVELAND — The day after Mark Letestu watched the Hobey Baker Award ceremony, he received a surprising but fun message — he was going to coach one of them soon.
T.J. Hughes was the most high-profile college free agent of this cycle, and after a decorated career at Michigan, he chose to sign with the Colorado Avalanche. His contract with the parent club starts next season, so he joined Letestu’s Colorado Eagles and quickly became an integral part of a deep postseason run.
“You go through the bio and I see a similar player to myself,” said Letestu, who played 567 NHL games and is in his first season as the Eagles’ head coach. “Somebody who played in the Alberta Junior League, an undersized right shot that did really well in college and signs a college free agent, so right away him and I have had some common ground.”
Hughes and the Eagles lost Game 1 of the Western Conference Final to the Chicago Wolves on Thursday night, but this is the deepest the club has advanced in the Calder Cup Playoffs since becoming an AHL franchise. Game 2 is Saturday night at Blue FCU Arena.
A four-year star at Michigan, Hughes helped the Wolverines to a pair of Big Ten championships and three trips to the Frozen Four. He could have left the program early, but decided to stay through his senior year because he wanted to graduate, trusted the Michigan staff to help him keep developing and wanted another shot at a national title.
That run ended when the University of Denver knocked the Wolverines out in a double-overtime classic semifinal. Two days later, he had signed with the Avalanche and was on a plane to Colorado.
“I think it’s a mix of a few things,” Hughes said about choosing the Avs. “One, just the coaching staff and the front office. They were expressing a lot of interest, and came to see me play a lot at Michigan. I think we built a great relationship over the year. Then obviously, the Colorado Eagles and the Colorado Avalanche — just two really good teams. I wanted to go play for a great team and try to find a spot that I kind of play similar to the way that they like to play. They like to play with the puck, play fast and make plays, so that was very appealing to me.
“Then, of course, Colorado is an amazing place to play and place to live. I’ve really liked my time here, just the weather and everything about Colorado and Loveland. Everything’s been great.”
The 24-year-old Hughes was a great player for the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL before Michigan. He played with current Eagles teammate Taylor Makar for two seasons and then won a league title in his third.
Hughes was not drafted but has remained a star at every level. He’s listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds, and he’s not a high-end skater. Hughes has made up for those perceived deficiencies with his brain and his skill level.
“His offensive IQ is certainly ahead of the rest of his game,” Letestu said. “I mean, that’s what got him noticed. That’s what gets him in the door.
“Right away you can see how smart he is, how he processes the game. He’s earned a lot of trust with me, obviously, immediately on the offensive side. That’s always going to be there, but he’s taking direction on the defensive side, trying to become more complete because he wants to be an NHL player. That’s the part of his game that he has to earn trust from (Jared Bednar) when he gets up there.”
The jump from NCAA hockey to the AHL has been a smooth one for Hughes. He played in two regular-season games for the Eagles and is now an integral part of their lineup in this postseason.
He has three goals and seven points in 11 games, including a beautiful assist in Game 1 against the Wolves. Hughes played on a line with Makar in Game 1. He’s also played with Gavin Brindley as well — another familiar face.
Hughes and Brindley were freshmen together at Michigan. Brindley left after two years, but they’re back together again after Colorado acquired Brindley in a trade last summer.
“Awesome. Yeah, it’s great to have him,” Brindley said. “He’s done a great job stepping in here. He’s one of the big pieces on this team now. It’s been just awesome to see his face every day and interact with him at the pro level and try to help him with anything he needs.
“I think his IQ is elite. The way he thinks the game — he’s not the fastest player, but man, he thinks the game at a high level. Kudos to him. He’s had a long season and I’m sure he’s a little drained, but he doesn’t look like it on a day-to-day basis.”
Hughes said that having Brindley and Makar here made the transition much easier for him. He was the captain at Michigan, and his former coach Brandon Naurato raved about Hughes when the Avs signed him.
Multiple people in the organization offered similar praise for Hughes since he arrived in Loveland. A “first in, last out” type of guy, a rink rat, a gym rat — Letestu said he’s not just easy to coach but that Hughes craves it.
There could be a place for Hughes with the Avalanche next season, depending on how this offseason plays out. He and his old friends Brindley and Makar might be the three guys on this Eagles team with the best chance of earning a spot in training camp next year.
For now, Hughes is chasing another championship. The Avs have had great success with college free agents, most notably Logan O’Connor and Sam Malinski.
Hughes could be up next.
“(The AHL) is definitely a step up. It’s been a little faster, a little heavier, and just trying to adjust each game, and just trying to do what I can to help the team win,” Hughes said. “This is an amazing experience. Just planning to have a great offseason and continue to work on things I need to work on. Wherever I end up, just trying to make an impact and help the team win and do my thing and do my part.
“I have such a great passion for this game of hockey, so I just want to keep grinding and keep playing.”
