NMU\’s Olver Signs with Colorado

Marquette, Mich. – The Colorado Avalanche announces the signing of Northern Michigan University forward Mark Olver to an entry-level contract. Olver will report to Colorado’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.

He just completed his junior season with the Wildcats. Olver led the ‘Cats during the 2009-10 season with 49 points on 19 goals and 30 assists in helping the team advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999. The Burnaby, B.C. native was named one of the top 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s player of the year. Olver finished the regular season as the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) scoring champion with 35 points on 17 goals and 18 assists in 27 conference games and was named to the CCHA All-Conference First Team.

“Mark had a very productive career at Northern Michigan and we look forward to having him make his professional debut with the Lake Erie Monsters,” said Avalanche General manager Greg Sherman in a release.
He was Colorado’s fourth selection (fifth round, 140th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Olver led the ‘Cats in scoring in each of his three seasons as he collected 38 points for the 2007-08 season (21-17) and 35 points for the 2008-09 season (16-19). For his NMU career, Olver appeared in 119 games and recorded 56 goals, 66 assists for 122 points.

“We are proud of Mark and what he has done to make this program competitive,” said Walt Kyle, the head hockey coach at NMU. “We are proud to be a part of helping him moving onto his dreams.”