The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Quinnipiac University goaltender Eric Hartzell, to a one-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.
The deal runs through the remainder of this season and has an average annual value of $925,000.
Hartzell, 23, led Quinnipiac to the school’s first-ever Frozen Four appearance this past weekend at Consol Energy Center. Hartzell helped the Bobcats reach Saturday night’s championship game, which they lost 4-0 to Yale University.
The 6-foot-4, 187-pound netminder was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s top college hockey player this season after posting a 30-7-5 record, 1.57 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in 42 starts.
Hartzell, who is a native of White Bear Lake, Minn., led the entire NCAA in minutes played this season (2522:02) and tied for third in shutouts with five while being named NCAA First-Team All-American.
Hartzell’s outstanding season earned him several accolades including 2013 ECAC Player of the Year, ECAC Hockey Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year, a selection to the ECAC First-Team All-Star squad and a spot on the All-New England All-Star team.
In four seasons at Quinnipiac, Hartzell posted a career record of 58-27-17 with a 1.96 GAA, .924 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 106 career appearances. Hartzell’s 1.96 GAA is a school record.
Before joining Quinnipiac, Hartzell played three seasons for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League (USHL) between 2006-09. He went 39-32-4 in 79 career games for the Stampede.
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