Boulder native Nate Clurman, one of nine defensemen at the Avalanche’s development/rookie camp this week, was a proud captain at Notre Dame last season. He could have continued in that role as a senior in 2021-22 but instead signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Avs in April — after Notre Dame was removed from the NCAA tournament because of positive COVID-19 tests.
Clurman, 23, played 10 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles at the end of the 2021 season before sustaining a broken foot. He’s healthy now and looking forward to his first full professional season.
Barring a rash of injuries, Clurman will probably play the entire coming season for the Loveland-based Eagles. But based on the belief in him by Avalanche executives and coaches, he has no regrets in his decision to leave college.
“I would have loved to stay there through four years and finished my degree with my classmates. Being the captain there is a special experience and I grew to love the school more and more each year,” Clurman said Monday. “But when it came down to it, my degree was something I could finish later. To sacrifice the college experience and senior year was tough, but the opportunity to turn pro and sign with the Avs was — not only the right timing for me from a development standpoint — but a dream that was right in front of my face.
“It just felt right to take it. There was a lot of deliberation and it was nice to have people in my corner supporting me either way.”
Brian Willsie, the Avs’ director of amateur development, said Clurman has been one of the more impressive defensemen in early off-ice tests and on-ice drills.
“Overall, he’s strong. He’s put on a lot of muscle this summer and looks good on the ice,” Willsie said. “Moving around — we did a lot of movement for the D, and their footwork, and he was one of the top guys.”
Clurman is just the second Colorado native to be drafted by the Avalanche. He hopes to become the first to play for the club. Forward J.D. Corbin of Littleton was selected by the Avs in the eighth round of the 2004 draft. Corbin never reached the NHL.
“It’s always great to have a home-state guy,” Willsie said. “We watched (Clurman) closely at Notre Dame and then he came out and had some time with the Eagles last year, which is always an advantage when you’re going into your first pro year to get those few weeks with the American League team. And he adjusted very quickly. He looked really good with the Eagles.”
Clurman is the sixth right-shot defenseman under contract with the Avs. The others are established veterans Cale Makar and Erik Johnson, free-agent depth newcomers Jordan Gross and Roland McKeown, and top prospect Justin Barron, the club’s 2020 first-round draft pick. The Avs also have unsigned right shot Drew Helleson, a 2019 second-round pick who is beginning his junior season at Boston College.
Clurman’s strength is his skating, leadership and shutdown ability. He’s not much of an offensive guy, having produced just four goals and 19 points in three seasons at Notre Dame.
“I’m confident in what type of player I am and I think my style fits a role on teams that is more of a depth role but it’s really important,” Clurman said. “I think I’ve learned that over the years. I’ve got a good skating ability and if I can put myself in a position to defend well, every single team in the NHL needs that.”
