Boston University men’s hockey defenseman Brian Strait has signed a pro contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, electing to forgo his senior season, according to USCHO.com.
Strait had been chosen as a co-captain for the 2009-10 season after serving as an assistant captain on the 2008-09 National Championship squad. Known for his lockdown defense and physical play, Strait recorded five goals and 18 assists for 23 points in his three seasons at BU.
The most notable of Strait’s five goals came against Boston College in this year’s Hockey East Semifinals. His wrister from the blue line into the top right corner gave BU a 2-1 lead. It was the second of three Terrier goals in a 44-second span midway through the third period.
The Waltham native was selected in the third round (65th overall) by Pittsburgh in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and is expected to begin next season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.
The USCHO article reports that junior defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk will serve as the lone captain for the 2009-10 season and that senior defenseman Eric Gryba and junior forward Nick Bonino have been named assistant captains.
***
Two players who will be called upon to help fill the void vacated by Strait will be recently added defensemen Sean Escobedo and Ben Rosen.
Escobedo had been verbally committed to join the Terriers in the fall of 2010, but will now come to BU a year early, according to the same USCHO article.
The 18-year-old Bayside, N.Y., native recorded 17 assists and 76 penalty minutes in 59 games split between the Tri-City Storm and Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL last season. He is regarded as more of a defensive defenseman than a puck-rusher.
Rosen had been verbally committed to Brown University, where his brother Dan is entering his senior season, but has decided to join the Terriers instead, according to a BU official.
The 20-year-old Syosset, N.Y., native played for the South Shore Kings of the Eastern Junior Hockey League in 2008-09. He was named the team’s MVP after leading the Kings and all EJHL defensemen in scoring with 10 goals and 42 assists for 52 points.
Escobedo and Rosen become the fifth and sixth members of this year’s freshman class, joining fellow defenseman Max Nicastro and forwards Alex Chiasson, Justin Courtnall and Wade Megan.