Inside College Hockey | INCH Update Desk

INCH UPDATE DESK

March 27, 2007
U-M's Johnson to Kings, DU's Dingle to Ducks

Denver forward Ryan Dingle and Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson are California-bound after signing deals with NHL Pacific Division rivals Tuesday.

Johnson, 20, who just completed his sophomore season with the Wolverines at the NCAA Tournament West Regional in Denver last weekend, agreed to terms on a multi-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings. The third overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes had his rights traded to the Kings as part of a multi-player deal in September. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound defenseman, who scored 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 36 games this season, is expected to be in the lineup Thursday when the Kings host Vancouver.

Dingle, who turns 23 next week, will forgo his final year of college eligibilty after signing a two-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks. He's expected to make his professional debut with the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Portland (Maine) this week. The Steamboat Springs, Colo., native led the Pioneers with 22 goals this season. He also paced the team with 27 goals in 2005-06. For his career, Dingle scored 55-43—98 in 121 career games.

March 26, 2007
Columbus Inks Alaska's Campbell

Alaska defenseman Darcy Campbell, the team's top-scoring blueliner this season as a junior, has decided to forgo his senior season and sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Campbell, 22, played three seasons for the Nanooks, registering 11 goals and 39 assists for 50 points with 175 penalty minutes in 114 career games. The Airdrie, Alberta, native played three seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League before joining the Nanooks as a freshman in 2004-05.

March 22, 2007
Wisconsin Trio Signs NHL Deals

Three Wisconsin Badgers — 2006 All-American goaltender Brian Elliott, forward Jack Skille, and defenseman Joe Piskula — agreed to entry-level contracts with NHL clubs Wednesday.

Elliott, the WCHA's career shutout leader, signed with Ottawa. The Senators chose Elliott in the ninth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He'll join Ottawa's American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton (N.Y.) for the remainder of the season.

Skille signed a three-year deal with Chicago, forgoing his final two seasons of college eligibility. In 26 games with the Badgers this season, the Madison native scored eight goals and added 10 assists. The Blackhawks, who chose Skille with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, assigned Skill to its AHL affiliate in Norfolk.

Piskula signed a multi-year, free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Kings. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman, who left the Badgers with one season of eligibility remaining, appeared in 38 games for Wisconsin this season, scoring one goal and four assists.

March 22, 2007
St. Louis Brings Minnesota State's Wagner Into the Fold

The St. Louis Blues signed Minnesota State defenseman Steve Wagner to a
two-year, entry level contract. beginning next year. Wagner will join the Peoria
Rivermen, the Blues's AHL affiliate, for the remainder of the season as an amateur tryout.

An all-WCHA third team selection this season, Wagner set career highs in goals (six), assists (23), and points (29). In 113 career games with the Mavericks, he scored 12 goals and 43 assists for 55 points.

March 20, 2007
Quinnipiac's Cashman Joins Maple Leafs

Quinnipiac defenseman Reid Cashman signed a one-year, entry-level agreement with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cashman is expected to play for the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, in Syracuse Friday.

Cashman, a two-time all-ECAC Hockey League selection, finished the 2006-07 season with three goals and 38 assists in 40 games. Quinnipiac's leader in career games played (151) scored 23-125—148 in four years with the Bobcats.

March 19, 2007
San Jose Snags UVM's Mitchell

Forward Torrey Mitchell has decided to skip his senior season at Vermont, opting to sign a contract with the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks selected the Greenfield Park, Quebec, native in the fourth round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Mitchell finished the season as the Catamounts' leading scorer with 12-23—35. In 110 career games at UVM, he reigistered 35 goals and 105 points, good for a 35th place tie on the school's all-time scoring list. He's expected to report to San Jose’s American Hockey League affiliate in Worcester, Mass., this week.

March 19, 2007
Holy Cross's Landry Signs with Columbus

Holy Cross defenseman Jon Landry signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons.

Landry, who earlier this month was named to the Atlantic Hockey all-conference first team for the second straight year, scored 27 points in 27 games for the Crusaders this season. In 133 career games, he totaled 24 goals and 62 assists for 86 points, the most by a Holy Cross defenseman in Division I play.

March 16, 2007
Capitals Ink Three College Skaters

The Washington Capitals added three college players to their organization, signing Ohio State defenseman Sean Collins, Minnesota State forward Travis Morin, and RIT right wing Steve Pinizzotto to two-year entry-level contracts.

Collins recently completed his senior season with the Buckeyes, leading the team with 28 points in 37 games. A Troy, Mich., native, Collins was a finalist for both CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman and Best Defensive Defenseman honors this season.

Morin, a ninth-round selection of the Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft who just closed out his junior campaign at Minnesota State, was a second-team All-WCHA selection this season after leading the Mavericks in goals (17) and points (39). As a sophomore, he paced the Mavs in goals (20) and shared the team lead in points (40).

Pinizzotto, who just wrapped up his sophomore year at RIT, becomes the second player to ever leave Atlantic Hockey early, joining Jamie Hunt of Mercyhurst, who signed with the Capitals last season and made his NHL debut this year. He had 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) to lead the Tigers in scoring this season.

March 16, 2007
UMD Loses Two to Pros

Two Minnesota Duluth sophomores who were named first-team All-WCHA yesterday – Matt Niskanen and Mason Raymond – have decided to pursue professional careers, the school announced today.

Niskanen, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defenseman, is expected to join the Iowa Stars (the Dallas Stars' American Hockey League affiliate) early next week while Raymond, a 6-foot-0, 190-pound left winger, will head to Winnipeg to skate with the Manitoba Moose (the Vancouver Canucks' AHL affiliate) possibly as early as this Sunday.

"Obviously it's disappointing to lose these two outstanding players, both of whom have had a major impact on our team the past two seasons," said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. "But, at the same time, it's a great opportunity for Matt and Mason and we certainly wish them well at the next level."

Raymond and Niskanen ranked first and second on the Bulldogs, respectively, in scoring in 2006-07. Only one of UMD's top 10 scorers was a senior.

March 15, 2007
Kemp Finalist for UNO AD Job

Nebraska-Omaha coach Mike Kemp is one of five finalists in the running to become the school's next athletic director.

Kemp told Inside College Hockey's James Jahnke Thursday that he intends to remain UNO coach if he's selected to be the AD, but adds that the decision ultimately rests with the school's interim chancellor, John Christensen.

Joining Kemp on the list of candidates is Cliff Dochterman, senior associate athletic director at California-Riverside; David Miller, former associate athletic director at SMU; Bruce Van De Velde, former athletic director at Iowa State; and William Weidner, former deputy athletic director at Central Florida.

UNO offers 14 varsity sports; all but hockey compete at the NCAA Division II level.

March 15, 2007
Jutting, Minnesota State Agree on Contract Extension

Minnesota State coach Troy Jutting has reached an agreement in principle on a contract extension, it was announced Thursday. The pact is expected to be finalized next week after Jutting meets with Kevin Buisman, the school's athletic director.

In seven seasons behind the Maverick bench, Jutting has compiled a 108-129-34 record, including a 13-19-6 overall mark this season and an eighth-place finish in the WCHA standings. He was the 2003 WCHA Coach of the Year after leading Minnesota State to a second-place conference finish and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Jutting's current contract expires June 30.

March 14, 2007
Alaska's Greentree to Sign with Philadelphia

Kyle Greentree, the leading scorer for the Alaska Nanooks the past three seasons, has decided to forgo his senior collegiate season to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers, Inside College Hockey has learned. The deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.

Greentree posted 42 points (21 goals, 21 assists) in 39 games this season, leading Alaska in both goals and points, as well as penalty minutes (78). He led the team in scoring all three years of his collegiate career, finishing with 101 career points.

Greentree, 23, is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Victoria, British Columbia.

Greentree's departure will leave a large offensive vacancy for the Nanooks; only Greentree and senior Curtis Fraser had more than six goals for Alaska this season.

March 14, 2007
Matsumoto Leaves BGSU for Philly

Bowling Green forward Jonathan Matsumoto, who recently completed his junior season, has signed with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, the school announced today.

"I just want to thank coach (Scott) Paluch and his staff in helping me become the player I have," said Jonathan Matsumoto. "They have allowed me to play in so many situations that it helped me reach that next level."

This past season Matsumoto was one of three Falcons to play in all 38 games, leading the team with 33 points (11g, 22a). His 22 helpers also led the team, while his 12 goals were second.

March 8, 2007
Union's Fox Signs with San Jose

Union forward T.J. Fox has signed a professional contract with the San Jose Sharks organization and will leave the college ranks after two productive seasons. Fox led the Dutchmen in scoring this past season with 37 points in 35 games and ranked fifth among all ECAC Hockey League players in overall scoring.

Over his two seasons at Union, Fox scored 57 points on 21 goals and 36 assists in 66 games.

March 1, 2007
NCAA Names Skills Challenge Participants

Fourteen Division I men's players are among the participants scheduled to take part in the second annual Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge, the NCAA announced today. The event which will be held on the Friday of Frozen Four weekend, April 6 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

The competition will be conducted in an East versus West format with each team having six male position players, six female position players, two male goaltenders and two female goaltenders. An alternate list has been established in the event that players have to withdraw from the competition due to other commitments, such as their team’s participation in the Frozen Four.

To be eligible, all players must have exhausted their collegiate eligibility and be nominated by their head coach. The players were selected by representatives from the American Hockey Coaches Association, the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee and the National Youth Sports Corporation. The competitions will include puck control relay, fastest skater, hardest shot, rapid fire shooting, accuracy shooting and penalty shot. Each competitor will receive a complete set of equipment and a full uniform from Nike Bauer Hockey.

The men's portion of the East squad goaltenders are John Curry of Boston University and Jason Smith from Sacred Heart. The six male skaters on the East squad include Kyle Bozoian, Fredonia State; Reid Cashman, Quinnipiac; Kirk MacDonald, Rensselaer; Jacob Micflikier, New Hampshire; Mike Morris, Northeastern and Andrew Ramsey, Air Force.

The women on the East squad include Crystal Connors, St. Lawrence; Kristin Gigliotti, Providence; Cara Hendry, Boston U.; Natalie Vibert, Connecticut; Lindsay Williams, Clarkson and Shelia Zingler, Yale. The goalies will be Melissa Bourdon, New Hampshire and Jana Bugden, Providence.

The West team features Michigan’s T.J. Hensick, Nebraska-Omaha’s Scott Parse, Niagara’s Sean Bentivoglio, Michigan Tech's Lars Helminen, Augsburg's Aaron Johnson and Wisconsin's Andrew Joudrey. The West goaltenders will be Notre Dame’s David Brown and Lake Superior State’s Jeff Jakaitis.

The women's portion of the West roster includes Wisconsin’s Sara Bauer, who is one of the nation’s top five scorers. Also on the team is Julia Colizza, Mercyhurst; Kelly Hart, Bemidji State; Noemie Marin, Minnesota Duluth; Sammy Miller, Minnesota State Mankato and Maggie Souba, Minnesota. The two female goaltenders will be Riitta Schaublin, Minnesota Duluth and Erika Vanderveer, Ohio State.

Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 314-241-1888. The Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge will begin at 7:30 p.m. Central time and will be preceded by the Hobey Baker Memorial Award at 6 p.m. and the Hockey Humanitarian Award at 6:35 p.m. The Pontiac Frozen Four Skills Challenge and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award will both be shown live on ESPNU.