Plymouth Whalers center Mitchell Heard joins an impressive list of current teammates who have signed National Hockey League contracts.

Heard, 20, signed an entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche. 

Here's the release from Colorado Avalanche:

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the team has signed forward Mitchell Heard to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Heard, 20, was Colorado’s first pick (second round, 41st overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He averaged a point-per-game with the Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers in 2011-12, collecting 57 points (29 goals, 28 assists) with 111 penalty minutes in 57 games.

“We are pleased to have Mitchell under contract,” said Avalanche General Manager/Executive Vice President Greg Sherman. “He is coming off a strong season in the OHL and we are excited to see him at training camp.”

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound center finished third on the Whalers in goals, was sixth in points and ranked second in PIM.  Heard also finished second on Plymouth in power-play goals with 10.  The Bowmanville, Ontario native added 11 points (4g/7a) in 13 playoff contests.

The Denver Post also has a story.

Heard joins Stefan Noesen (Ottawa), Rickard Rakell (Anaheim), Tom Wilson (Washington), JT Miller (NY Rangers) and Ludvig Bystrom (Dallas) as Whalers on the current roster who have signed NHL contracts.

WILSON PLAYS FOR CANADA:  The Whalers' Tom Wilson and Team Canada completed their four-game series with Russia in the 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge Tuesday night with Canada winning the series on a Ryan Strome goal at 3:20 of overtime.

Canada won Game Four, 4-2, in regulation to earn a split in the series.  The team then played overtime to determine a winner in the series.

In four games, Wilson scored no points and picked up six minutes in PIM's.