DU Hockey's Massimo Rizzo and Shai Bouium sign NHL contracts

Denver Pioneers forward Massimo Rizzo, 13, hits Boston College in the first period during the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four Championship game Saturday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Chases the puck under pressure from Eagles forward Cutter Gauthier, 19. April 13, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

A week after leading the University of Denver hockey team to its 10th national title, juniors Massimo Rizzo and Shai Bouium have signed entry-level contracts with the NHL franchise.

Rizzo has signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Bouium has agreed to a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings starting in the 2024-25 season, the teams announced Wednesday.

Rizzo, 22, was the Pioneers' No. 3 scorer with 44 points (10 goals, 34 assists) last season and is the 102nd member of DU's 100 players with 126 points (39 goals, 87 assists) in 107 games. ) ended his career at DU. -Point Club.

The Burnaby, British Columbia, native was originally selected by Carolina in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Draft, but his rights were traded to the Flyers last year. He missed 14 games late last season with an injury, but the junior forward returned to Pios in time to play in the Frozen Four and win his second national title.

Buium, 21, played in all but one of Pios' 44 games this season and set career highs in goals (7), assists (29) and points (36). The San Diego native was drafted 36th overall by the Red Wings in the summer before his freshman year in 2021 and tallied 75 points (14 goals, 61 assists) in 120 games for DU. Like Rizzo, he left Denver with a pair of championship rings.