It's Official, Paukovich gone...

This had been rumored but I guess this makes it official, this is a press release from the Edmonton Oilers Web Page

OILERS SIGN THREE
BRODZIAK, ROY & PAUKOVICH INK CONTRACTS


The Edmonton Oilers have signed centre Kyle Brodziak and defenceman Mathieu Roy to two-year contracts and left winger Geoff Paukovich to a three-year entry level contract.

The 6’2”, 198-pound Brodziak split the 2006-07 season between the Oilers and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. Brodziak, 23, appeared in six games for the Oilers last season and scored one point, netting his first career Oilers/NHL point with a goal versus the St. Louis Blues on March 17th. With Wilkes-Barre, Brodziak scored 24-32-56 with 44 PIM in 62 games, tying for second on the Penguins’ scoring list. He was second in goals and fourth in assists. The Oilers 9th choice in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Brodziak has scored 1-0-1 with 6 PIM in 16 career games with Edmonton since making his NHL debut in 2005-06.

Roy appeared in 16 games with the Oilers in 2006-07, scoring his first two NHL goals and registering 30 penalty minutes. After beginning the season with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, the 6’2”, 214-pound blueliner was recalled to the Oilers on two occasions during the season and scored his first career Oilers/NHL goal at San Jose on January 10th. The 23-year-old (he turns 24 on August 10th) native of St-Martin De Beauce, Quebec scored his second goal on March 29th at St. Louis. With Hamilton, Roy scored 6-12-18 with 40 PIM in 31 games.

Paukovich begins his professional career with Edmonton following three seasons of collegiate hockey with the University of Denver Pioneers, where he was a teammate with fellow Oilers draft pick, Glenn Fisher. The 6’4”, 208-pound native of Englewood, Colorado played in 39 of the Pioneers’ 40 games in 2006-07, scoring 17 points on eight goals and nine assists. He was second on Denver with 65 penalty minutes and finished his career 11th on the Pioneers’ all-time penalty list with 257 minutes. Paukovich was a member of Denver’s NCAA national championship team as a freshman, scoring a career-high 12-10-22 in 41 games in 2004-05.

Significant WCHA Player Defections

Here is a break down of the significant WCHA players that have forgone their college elgibility to move to the professional/junior hockey ranks. For the most part all of the teams in the WCHA with the exception of MTU and Collerado College have had players forgo their college elgibiligy and move on to the professional ranks. This is not to say that other teams didn't lose players for various reasons. For instance MTU dismissed Phil Axtell from the team for undisclosed reasons, and according to the UAA fan blog Nate Lawson has left school.

Edmonton: Signed F Geoff Paukovich* (Denver)
Anaheim: Signed F Ryan Dingle* (Denver)
Calgary Hitman (WHL) Keith Seabrook* (Denver)
St. Louis: Signed D Erik Johnson* (Minnesota)
Pittsburgh: Signed D Alex Goligoski* (Minnesota)
Ottawa: Signed D Brian Lee* (North Dakota)
Chicago: Signed F Jonathan Toews* (North Dakota)
Los Angeles: Signed D Joe Piskula* (Wisconsin)
Chicago: Signed F Jack Skille* (Wisconsin)
Washington: Signed F Andrew Gordon* (St. Cloud State)
St. Louis: Signed D Steve Wagner* (Minnesota State)
Vancouver: Signed F Mason Raymond* (Minnesota Duluth)
Dallas: Signed D Matt Niskanen* (Minnesota Duluth)
Idaho: Signed F Jay Beagle* (Alaska Anchorage)

Are there any more players leaving early?

It kind of makes you wonder with roughly 60 days until the college hockey season begins if there are going to be any more player defections in the WCHA this summer. There is a rumor circulating around the blogsphere that Gopher underclassmen Jim O'Brienis thinking about leaving school and signing with the Senators. Some of these players I can see leaving but this one kind of puzzles me since O'Brien he is barely 18 years old. In case anyone forgot this kid he did leave an impression on the WCHA goalies and he did seem to be around the action that was in front of the net.

O'Brien to Sign?

Look for Ottawa's top 2007 draft pick, Jim O'Brien, to sign with the Senators and forego the balance of his college career. O'Brien, a 6-2 centre drafted 29th overall, was the youngest player in college hockey last season, as a 17-year-old with the University of Minnesota. A source says O'Brien, now 18, is leaning toward turning professional.