Zachary Aston-Reese may not be a household name quite yet, but the college free agent who signed his first NHL contract today will hope to change that when he suits up for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Aston-Reese was passed by in the NHL draft a few years ago but made a name for himself at Northeastern University where he has been playing since the 2013-14 season. Last year, as a junior, he led the team in scoring 14 goals and 29 assists, good for 43 points in only 41 games.
This season, however, Aston-Reese took his game to a whole new level. In 38 games played, he scored 31 goals and added another 32 helpers, combining for 63 points. He led his team in scoring for the second consecutive season and also led the NCAA in goals and scoring.
For the remainder of the season, Aston-Reese will be eligible to play for both the Pittsburgh Penguins as well as their minor league affiliate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Where he will slot in remains to be seen, but the Penguins will hope to put his scoring prowess to good use at some point. He could prove to be an effective addition for a team looking to make another run at the Stanley Cup. Having young scoring depth during the postseason can never hurt.