Junior forward Matt DiMarsico signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, the club announced on March 30. DiMarsico will first report to the American Hockey League’s Colorado Eagles for the remainder of the 2025-26 season before his NHL contract begins in 2026-27.
DiMarsico becomes the 14th Penn State Nittany Lion to sign an NHL contract, joining a list of former teammates and alumni who have moved on to professional hockey. His signing marks another milestone for Penn State’s hockey program as it continues to develop players for higher levels of competition.
DiMarsico recently completed his best collegiate season, earning a spot as a 2026 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He became only the tenth player in Penn State history to reach 100 career points and was one of just eleven Nittany Lions ever to record at least 40 points in a single season. Over his college career, he tallied 42 goals and 58 assists across 111 games.
Head coach Guy Gadowsky said, “Personally, I love Matt’s story; he was not given anything other than an opportunity and started at the very bottom. He worked extremely hard on his individual game and paid close attention to team play and the result was great improvement year-after-year. We are all extremely proud of DD for everything he has accomplished and the memories he has given this program and wish him the very best in his pro career.”
This past season, DiMarsico led Penn State with a team-best eighteen goals among forty-two total points—career highs that placed him sixth in Big Ten scoring and tied for sixteenth nationally. He set a school record by recording three hat-tricks during the year and earned Big Ten First Star of the Week honors twice.
Reflecting on his time at Penn State, DiMarsico said, “My time as a Nittany Lion was more than I could have ever hoped for. The friends and experiences that Penn State has given me will last a lifetime. All the support from the staff and the entire Penn State community has really helped me grow as a player and a person and be able to take this next step in my hockey journey. I will always be honored and grateful to be a part of the Penn State family. WE ARE.”
Penn State concluded its most recent season with an overall record of twenty-one wins, fourteen losses, two ties after falling to Minnesota-Duluth in regional semifinals.
