Photo by: Ryan Lumpkin
Sophomore forward Beau Bennett signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, Penguins Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero announced last Friday.
“I’m really excited about taking that next step in my career,” said Bennett. “I’ve loved my time here in Denver, and I’m going to miss it.”
Bennett, who will join the Penguins for the 2012-2013 season, forgoes his final two years of eligibility at DU. He is now the third Pioneer underclassman to join the professional leagues since the conclusion of the 2011-2012 season.
Bennett sustained a wrist injury in early October, playing in only 10 of Denver’s 43 games this season and missing the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery on Dec. 9. He played six of those 10 games with the tendon in his wrist completely severed.
Bennett finished his two-year career with the Pioneers with 38 points on 13 goals and 25 assists in 47 games. During his short stint in the 2011-2012 season, he recorded 13 points on four goals and nine assists.
“I am fairly certain that Beau would have been one of our leading scorers, if not the leading scorer, if he had remained healthy this season,” said Gwozdecky. “He was really starting to come into his own.”
The 6-foot-1 Bennett was drafted 20th overall by Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2010 draft. He is the 17th underclassman to turn pro during Gwozdecky’s 18-year career with the Pioneers.
On March 27, sophomore forward Jason Zucker and junior forward and co-captain Drew Shore announced they would be signing with the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers, respectively. Denver will have to adjust to the loss of its top two scorers, as Zucker and Shore led the Pioneers with 22 goals each during the 2011-2012 season.
“Steve Miller and David Lassonde have done a great job of recruiting with [the loss of these players] in mind,” said head coach George Gwozdecky of his coaching staff. “We wish those three the best. But we are very confident both in our returners and in the guys coming in, and we have very good depth in the key positions.”
Originally from Gardena, Calif., Bennett played for the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2009-2010 before coming to DU. He tied for the BCHL scoring lead with 120 points on 41 goals and 79 assists in 56 games.
“We are happy for Beau that he is realizing his life-long dream to become a professional hockey player,” said Gwozdecky. “Beau is big-time talent, who would have put up big numbers for us this season if it wasn’t for his injury.”
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