Matvei Gridin and Ilya Protas Agree to NHL Entry-Level Contracts
July 7, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
A pair of forwards from the United States Hockey League have signed contracts with National Hockey League teams.
Both agreements come after both players were selected in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Matvei Gridin, a forward with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, has signed a three-year entry-level deal the Calgary Flames. A 2023-24 USHL First Team selection, Gridin was selected by the Flames in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft (28th overall), Gridin finished the 2023-24 regular season with a USHL-best 83 points after scoring 38 goals and assisting on 45 others in 60 games with the Lumberjacks. Gridin ranked fourth in the league in goals and tied for fourth in assists. His 29 power play points ranked second in the League and his 208 shots on goal was fourth.
Ilya Protas, a forward with the Des Moines Buccaneers, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals. Named to the 2023-24 USHL All-Rookie First Team, Protas was selected by the Capitals in the third round (74th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Protas ranked third in rookie scoring in the USHL in 2023-24 with 51 points on 14 goals and 37 assists in 61 games with the Buccaneers. The Vitebsk, Belarus native led all USHL rookies in assists and tied for second with six power play goals.
Including Gridin and Protas, since the end of the 2023-24 regular season, four players who saw action in the USHL this year have signed ELCs with NHL teams. Julian Lutz, a forward with the Green Bay Gamblers, signed with Utah and Juraj Pekarcik, a forward with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, signed with the St. Louis Blues.
Additionally, the top two players selected in the 2024 NHL Draft also signed ELCs and both are former USHL players. Macklin Celebrini, who spent the 2022-23 season with the Chicago Steel and went first overall to San Jose, and Artyom Levshunov, a defenseman who played for the Green Bay Gamblers in 2022-23 and was picked second by Chicago, both inked pro deals last week.
• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...
United States Hockey League Stories from July 7, 2024
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
