J.T. Compher
A former Michigan captain and 2022 Stanley Cup champion now anchoring Detroit's forward group.
Joseph Taylor Compher is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Northbrook, Illinois, he was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, 35th overall, at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. After a standout collegiate career with the Michigan Wolverines, where he captained the team and formed the high-scoring "CMM Line," Compher joined the Colorado Avalanche. There, he won the Stanley Cup in 2022. His journey includes playing for the San Antonio Rampage and overcoming injuries like a concussion to record consecutive 30-point seasons.
- position
- Forward
- acquisition_year
- Unknown
- playoff_experience
- Stanley Cup Champion (2022)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Compher's hockey roots began in Northbrook, Illinois, where a preschool friend introduced him to ice skating. He practiced slapshots against his sister Jesse, who aspired to be a goaltender. After joining the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in 2011, he spent two seasons recording 33 goals and 92 points in 92 games before committing to the University of Michigan. As a freshman in 2013–14, he earned the inaugural Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Freshman of the Year award and led all Big Ten freshmen with 31 points, surpassing Hudson Fasching's 20 points. Two years later, serving as team captain alongside the "CMM Line" (himself, Kyle Connor, and Tyler Motte), Compher helped Michigan reach the Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament final, but the Wolverines did not win the tournament until 2022. That trio combined for 83 goals and 107 assists in the 2015–16 season.
In Their Own Story
In March 2017, Compher transitioned from the San Antonio Rampage to the NHL after Jarome Iginla was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. He made his debut on March 2, 2017, centering the third line for the Colorado Avalanche and recording three goals and five points in his rookie season. During the 2015–16 college season, Compher recorded a career-high five assists in a 7–2 win over Penn State, becoming the first Michigan player to achieve that feat since Chad Kolarik in 2008. Despite injuries, including a fractured thumb in 2017 and a concussion in 2018–19, he posted consecutive 30-point seasons in 2018–19 and 2019–20. His college tenure ended after he was named an All-American Second Team selection and a Hobey Baker Award finalist.
Reader's Guide
Compher plays as a forward who has experience at center, notably serving as the captain of the Michigan Wolverines before turning professional. He wears no specific number mentioned in the source for his current team, but played for the Buffalo Sabres (draft), Colorado Avalanche (development and Stanley Cup win), and now the Detroit Red Wings. His path included a trade from Buffalo to Colorado involving Jamie McGinn and Ryan O'Reilly. Fans should note his resilience; he finished the 2016–17 season in the NHL as an immediate replacement for Iginla after spending the start of that year with the AHL's San Antonio Rampage.
Did You Know?
- Compher was introduced to ice hockey by a preschool friend who invited him skating.
- As a freshman, he became the first Michigan player to record a four-point game since Andrew Cogliano in 2005.
- He recorded a career-high five assists in a single game against Penn State while at Michigan.
- Compher won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.