Avalanche Signs Jordan Gross

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed defenseman Jordan Gross to a one-year contract for the 2021-22 season.
Gross, 26, spent last season with the Arizona Coyotes, where he tallied three points (0g/3a) in seven games. Gross, who also spent time on the taxi squad, missed the final 14 contests of the season due to a lower-body injury. He picked up all three assists on April 2 at Anaheim, the most helpers by a Coyotes rookie defenseman in a single game since Jan. 19, 2006 (Keith Ballard vs. Florida). The 5-foot-10, 190-pound rear guard has skated in nine career NHL games, all with the Coyotes, recording four points (0g/4a).

A native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Gross spent the majority of the 2019-20 campaign with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) but also appeared in his first two NHL games with the Coyotes. He tied for first among Tucson defensemen in goals (10) and finished second in points (27) while appearing in 56 contests. He had an assist in his NHL debut on Dec. 22, 2019 at Detroit.
Gross played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Notre Dame (2014-18). He was named a Second Team Hockey East All-Star as a sophomore in 2015-16 and named First Team All-Big Ten as a senior in 2017-18. Gross helped the Fighting Irish reach the 2018 NCAA Frozen Four championship game during his final season and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Following his college career, Gross signed with Arizona as a free agent on April 12, 2018. He spent his first full professional season with Tucson in 2017-18 and has registered 54 points (15g/39a) in 118 career AHL contests.