This is simply a rewrite of an earlier post with a few more details:

MacGregor Sharp loaded up his 1993 Ford Ranger on Monday afternoon in Duluth, preparing to leave town on the way to his next step in hockey.

 Minnesota Duluth’s senior center from Red Deer, Alberta, had just signed a two-year contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and is expected to debut Tuesday with the team’s American Hockey League franchise, the Iowa Chops of Des Moines.

“Every kid who ever puts on a pair of skates has a dream of playing professional hockey and that’s been my dream,” Sharp said Monday. “The way our season ended was a little disappointing, but we had a great year and these were the best four years of my life.”

A torrid finish to the college season for Sharp and the Bulldogs pushed his stock sky high. He recorded 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points in the final 13 games, including seven goals and 12 points in seven playoff games. For the season he led UMD’s scoring with 26 goals and 24 assists for 50 points in 43 games. In his college career he had 50 goals and 58 assists for 108 points in 157 games.

Anaheim contacted Sharp in the second week of the season and kept close tabs on him the past six months.  As the playoffs progressed, and UMD put together six straight wins, a number of other NHL teams entered the picture, including the Minnesota Wild.

“MacGregor was a dominant force in college hockey and was a star every night I saw him play,” said David McNab, Anaheim senior vice president for hockey operations. “He was easily one of the best players in Division I.”

Sharp, 23, undrafted by the NHL, signed a two-way contract which pays $152,500 a year if playing in the minor leagues or $700,000 a year in the NHL. He was a catalyst as UMD won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff title and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament. The Bulldogs lost in the West Regional title game to Miami of Ohio 2-1 Saturday night in Minneapolis.

Sharp, a business major, said he was checking with his UMD teachers before his departure and hopes to finish his school work at some point. The Iowa Chops, with six games left in the regular season, are battling for a spot in the AHL playoffs. The Chops (32-29) are sixth in the West Division and finish their schedule April 11. They are home tonight against Houston.

“He had a great year for us and a phenomenal finish,” UMD coach Scott Sandelin said of Sharp. “He was so valuable in so many areas — faceoffs, scoring, penalty killing and leadership.”

With three games remaining in Division I this season – in the Frozen Four beginning April 9 – Sharp (6-foot-1 and 195 pounds) has the fourth-most points nationally (50) and second-most goals (26). It’s the second-most UMD goals of the past 14 years, behind Junior Lessard’s 32 in 2003-04.

It’s unsure if other UMD players will get professional offers in the near future. Drafted seniors are defenseman Josh Meyers (Los Angeles Kings) and forwards Michael Gergen (Pittsburgh) and Matt Greer (Columbus). Junior goalie Alex Stalock (San Jose) has also gained significant attention with an impressive season and post-season as a WCHA first-team pick.

     This is simply a rewrite of an earlier post with a few more details:

MacGregor Sharp loaded up his 1993 Ford Ranger on Monday afternoon in Duluth, preparing to leave town on the way to his next step in hockey.

 Minnesota Duluth’s senior center from Red Deer, Alberta, had just signed a two-year contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and is expected to debut tonight with the team’s American Hockey League franchise, the Iowa Chops of Des Moines.

“Every kid who ever puts on a pair of skates has a dream of playing professional hockey and that’s been my dream,” Sharp said Monday. “The way our season ended was a little disappointing, but we had a great year and these were the best four years of my life.”

A torrid finish to the college season for Sharp and the Bulldogs pushed his stock sky high. He recorded 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points in the final 13 games, including seven goals and 12 points in seven playoff games. For the season he led UMD’s scoring with 26 goals and 24 assists for 50 points in 43 games. In his college career he had 50 goals and 58 assists for 108 points in 157 games.

Anaheim contacted Sharp in the second week of the season and kept close tabs on him the past six months.  As the playoffs progressed, and UMD put together six straight wins, a number of other NHL teams entered the picture, including the Minnesota Wild.

“MacGregor was a dominant force in college hockey and was a star every night I saw him play,” said David McNab, Anaheim senior vice president for hockey operations. “He was easily one of the best players in Division I.”

Sharp, 23, undrafted by the NHL, signed a two-way contract which pays $152,500 a year if playing in the minor leagues or $700,000 a year in the NHL. He was a catalyst as UMD won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff title and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament. The Bulldogs lost in the West Regional title game to Miami of Ohio 2-1 Saturday night in Minneapolis.

Sharp, a business major, said he was checking with his UMD teachers before his departure and hopes to finish his school work at some point. The Iowa Chops, with six games left in the regular season, are battling for a spot in the AHL playoffs. The Chops (32-29) are sixth in the West Division and finish their schedule April 11. They are home tonight against Houston.

“He had a great year for us and a phenomenal finish,” UMD coach Scott Sandelin said of Sharp. “He was so valuable in so many areas — faceoffs, scoring, penalty killing and leadership.”

With three games remaining in Division I this season – in the Frozen Four beginning April 9 – Sharp (6-foot-1 and 195 pounds) has the fourth-most points nationally (50) and second-most goals (26). It’s the second-most UMD goals of the past 14 years, behind Junior Lessard’s 32 in 2003-04.

      It’s unsure if other UMD players will get professional offers in the near future. Drafted seniors are defenseman Josh Meyers (Los Angeles Kings) and forwards Michael Gergen (Pittsburgh) and Matt Greer (Columbus). Junior goalie Alex Stalock (San Jose) has also gained significant attention with an impressive season and post-season as a WCHA first-team pick.