BGSU hockey’s junior defenseman Gustav Stjernberg has signed a contract with the NHL Colorado Avalanche, taking him to the Centennial State for the remainder of the NHL season. His signing follows the Falcons’ fifth-place finish in the CCHA and their loss to Michigan Tech in the quarterfinal round of the Mason Cup Playoffs.
Stjernberg played three full seasons with Bowling Green, skating in 86 games and landing 14 goals and 37 points. He missed games for injury all three seasons and still managed to set a career-high 12 assists last season and six goals this season.
The Enebyberg, Sweden native marked a dynamic career with BG on both ends of the ice. He played consistently on both power plays and penalty kills for the Falcons and even wore an “A” for BG in his junior season.
Stjernberg skated a +13 rating across all three seasons and never had a negative rating in college hockey. This season, he was second on the team in skating time per game (22:15), after leading the 2024-25 team in the same category (23:10).
His name is immortalized in the CCHA as the all-time (since 2021-22) penalty minutes leader in a single season, serving 98 this year on 14 minor and four major penalties. He finishes his career with 173 penalty minutes, about a minor penalty per game.
Stjernberg was suspended twice this season, once by the CCHA and once by the NCAA, because of game misconduct penalties. These took him out of three games against Bemidji State, Notre Dame, and St. Thomas, and served his two suspensions against St. Thomas and Augustana.
The defenseman’s contract is with the Colorado Avalanche, currently the best team in the Western Conference by five points. His deal includes joining their AHL affiliate (the Colorado Eagles) for the remainder of this season, then a two-year contract that goes into effect in the 2026-27 season.
Stjernberg is now the only Swedish skater for the Eagles and the fourth-youngest player on the squad. The Eagles’ first game with him as a member is Friday, March 13, when they visit the San Diego Gulls.
