DULUTH — Ty Hanson is playing what I suspect will be his final season of college hockey, and the Minnesota Duluth junior defenseman could have something waiting for him next spring that relatively few undrafted players ever experience: multiple National Hockey League organizations competing for his signature.
The Hermantown product has become one of college hockey's most accomplished offensive defensemen, an All-American with an unusually valuable right-handed shot, outstanding puck-moving instincts and the kind of competitive temperament that can make an undersized defenseman attractive to professional scouts. His future is no longer simply an interesting NHL possibility. If Hanson delivers another season comparable to his spectacular sophomore campaign, he could become one of the more intriguing unrestricted college free agents available in March or April.
And there is one organization I would watch particularly closely: the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings invited Hanson to their development camp last summer, giving their scouting and development staffs an opportunity to evaluate the 5-foot-9, 180-pound defenseman in person. That's considerably more meaningful than an occasional scouting visit to Amsoil Arena. Los Angeles has already invested time in getting to know the player, and the organization's shortage of right-handed defensemen makes Hanson an especially interesting prospect.
There is another connection worth examining. Drew Doughty, the Kings' longtime defensive cornerstone and newly appointed captain, is 36 and entering the final season of an eight-year, $88 million contract carrying an $11 million annual salary cap charge. Doughty has expressed a desire to finish his career in Los Angeles, but neither an extension nor retirement is assured. His contract expires next summer, at precisely the time Hanson could be negotiating his first professional agreement.
That doesn't mean Hanson would replace Doughty. Nobody should confuse an accomplished college defenseman with a future Hall of Famer who has won two Stanley Cups and spent nearly two decades defending against the world's best players. Los Angeles also has 23-year-old Brandt Clarke, already established as an important offensive defenseman and signed to a five-year, $37 million contract. The Kings have another promising right-shot prospect in Henry Brzustewicz.
But organizations need considerably more than two or three capable defensemen, and the Kings have acknowledged that their system is disproportionately stocked with left-handed shooters. Hanson's availability could provide an economical opportunity to strengthen their depth without surrendering draft choices or prospects.
The financial possibilities are substantial, particularly for a college junior.
Hanson produced 10 goals and 26 assists for 36 points in 40 games last season, finishing second nationally in scoring among NCAA defensemen. He averaged 25 minutes, 37 seconds of ice time, played a major role on one of the country's most productive power plays and earned second-team All-America recognition. He was also selected for the United States Collegiate Select team scheduled to compete internationally this December.
Those numbers should command attention in NHL personnel departments. Right-handed offensive defensemen are difficult to develop and expensive to acquire after they establish themselves professionally. Hanson offers a potential opportunity to obtain one before his value is determined by NHL production.
The NHL's new collective bargaining agreement establishes a maximum ordinary entry-level compensation package of $1.025 million for the 2026-27 season, increasing to $1.075 million in 2027-28 and $1.125 million in 2028-29. Those figures include NHL salary, signing bonuses and games-played bonuses, with certain additional performance incentives potentially available under separate rules.
A player signing his first NHL contract at Hanson's age would ordinarily be subject to a three-year entry-level agreement. Although the precise value depends on when the contract begins, its structure and how much time he spends in the NHL, a competitive offer could carry a potential NHL-level value exceeding $3 million over three full seasons.
That is hardly insignificant money for a young man who was playing high school hockey in Hermantown only a few years ago.
The signing bonus deserves particular attention. Under entry-level rules, teams can allocate a limited percentage of annual compensation to signing bonuses, creating an opportunity for six-figure annual payments. A maximum-level contract beginning in 2026-27 could potentially include a signing bonus approaching $102,500 in its first season.
Unlike ordinary NHL salary, which depends on the player's assignment, a negotiated signing bonus offers financial protection even if the player begins his professional career in the American Hockey League.
Minor-league compensation is another consideration. The applicable entry-level AHL salary ceiling is $87,500 in 2026-27 and 2027-28. A player who spends most of a season in the minors isn't collecting his advertised million-dollar NHL salary. His actual income depends on the games and days spent at each level, the contract's guaranteed bonuses and any incentives he earns.
There is even a potentially lucrative opportunity before next season begins.
Imagine the Bulldogs completing their season in late March, followed by Hanson signing an NHL contract with Los Angeles. The Kings could immediately place him on their roster for the final handful of regular-season games, providing an opportunity to evaluate his skating, defensive positioning and puck decisions against NHL competition.
With an NHL salary of approximately $900,000 annually, a 10-day roster assignment could be worth roughly $45,000 in prorated salary, depending on the league's salary-day calculation. Add a negotiated six-figure signing bonus, and a brief NHL introduction could provide Hanson with compensation well into six figures.
The complication is that such a late signing ordinarily would not make him eligible for that season's Stanley Cup playoffs. A player signed after the trade deadline generally cannot be added to the postseason roster unless he meets the applicable reserve-list requirements.
But the opportunity to burn the first year of his entry-level contract could be even more valuable than the immediate payday.
Because Hanson would be beyond the age at which entry-level contracts ordinarily slide forward, a contract beginning in 2026-27 could count as its first year even if he appeared in only a few NHL games. That would leave him closer to negotiating a second contract, where a productive defenseman's earning potential could rise dramatically.
The alternative would be signing a contract beginning in 2027-28 and possibly joining an AHL affiliate on an amateur tryout agreement to finish the current season. That arrangement would preserve the full entry-level term, although it would not provide the same immediate NHL salary or experience. The new agreement's minor-league eligibility provisions also make the exact timing of a late-season signing especially important.
This is where competing organizations could distinguish themselves.
Pittsburgh deserves consideration because Hanson attended the Penguins' development camp in 2025, giving that organization its own opportunity to study his abilities. The Penguins have demonstrated at least preliminary scouting interest, although a past camp invitation certainly doesn't establish that a professional contract will follow.
Minnesota would be an obvious geographic consideration. Hanson grew up in Hermantown, developed in one of the state's strongest high school programs and established himself at UMD. Playing for the Wild would be a remarkable continuation of that hockey journey. But sentiment should not determine his decision. Minnesota would need to present a convincing plan for his professional development and an opportunity to compete for NHL playing time.
I would also examine organizations such as San Jose, Chicago and Anaheim, particularly if their defensive depth charts and development priorities next spring suggest opportunities for a young right-handed defenseman. Those clubs have invested heavily in young talent, but none should be considered a confirmed Hanson suitor without evidence of actual recruiting interest.
And that's a distinction worth remembering. Los Angeles and Pittsburgh have documented connections to Hanson through development camps. The other organizations are possibilities worth investigating, not reported bidders.
Hanson's greatest negotiating advantage may not be his scoring statistics or his right-handed shot. It may be his freedom to choose where he begins his professional career.
An undrafted college free agent doesn't have to report to a particular NHL organization simply because that club selected him. He can evaluate competing opportunities, consider how each franchise develops defensemen and decide where his particular abilities have the best chance of translating into a permanent NHL job.
Naturally, the questions about his size will follow him into every scouting conversation. At 5-foot-9, Hanson isn't going to overwhelm NHL forwards physically. He will have to defend with positioning, anticipation, exceptional skating and quick decisions. The smaller NHL defensemen who succeed aren't protected from physical hockey; they survive because they process the game faster than their opponents.
Hanson has already demonstrated those qualities against elite NCAA competition. The next examination will be considerably more demanding.
His decision also deserves some respect for what he would potentially be leaving behind. Minnesota Duluth is an outstanding place to develop as a hockey player, and another season under Scott Sandelin would hardly be wasted. Hanson could return for his senior year, pursue another championship and continue strengthening his professional prospects.
But I suspect the opportunity will be too attractive to decline if several NHL organizations are presenting serious offers next spring.
There is a difference between leaving college prematurely and recognizing when college has prepared a player for the next level. Hanson has already earned All-America recognition, become a major contributor on an NCAA tournament team and placed himself among the nation's premier offensive defensemen.
Another outstanding season would only strengthen the argument that his next challenge belongs in professional hockey.
If I were advising Hanson, I would ask potential NHL employers three questions before discussing anything else: Where do you envision him playing in two years? Who will develop his defensive game? And will you provide an honest opportunity to compete for an NHL job rather than merely stockpiling another prospect?
The guaranteed money matters. So does the possibility of collecting a significant signing bonus and getting an immediate taste of NHL hockey. But the real financial prize is the second contract, available only if Hanson establishes himself as a productive professional.
That's why Los Angeles is such an intriguing possibility. The Kings have already evaluated him, have organizational reasons to seek right-handed defensive talent and could offer a development opportunity at a particularly interesting moment in their franchise's transition.
Doughty's future remains unsettled. Clarke is established. The Kings will have decisions to make.
And in Duluth, a talented young defenseman continues preparing for what might be the most important season of his hockey life.
My prediction: Hanson plays his final game for the Bulldogs sometime next spring. What follows could be a fascinating competition among NHL clubs for a defenseman whose greatest professional asset is something money cannot buy: the ability to make hockey look a step slower than it really is.