June 27, 2009

Tigers' Sdao Selected in NHL Draft

Montreal, Quebec -- Princeton men's hockey incoming freshman Michael Sdao was selected in the seventh round of the National Hockey League Draft on Saturday.  A defenseman from Niwot, Colo., Sdao was chosen in the seventh round by Ottawa with the 191st pick.

Unlike the baseball, football and basketball drafts, Sdao will still play college hockey although the Ottawa Senators will retain his rights. Players who turn 18 by September 15 and are not older than 20 by December 31 are eligible for selection in the NHL Draft. In addition, non-North American players over the age of 20 are eligible. Ottawa will hold Sdao's rights up until 30 days after he has finished playing college hockey.

Sdao, a 6-4 defenseman, comes to Princeton from the Lincoln Stars. He has spent the last two seasons with Lincoln in the USHL and has contributed 10 points in each season from the blueline. A physical defenseman, Sdao has 393 career penalty minutes in two seasons of junior hockey. In those two seasons, he has also helped the Stars to a USHL Western Division title, served as an assistant captain and won the team's Hardest Worker Award.

Sdao becomes the 25th player with Princeton ties selected in the NHL entry draft and the first since Matt Maglione was taken in the eighth round of the 2001 draft. Of the four current Tigers playing in the NHL, only George Parros, selected in the eight round in 1999, was drafted. Jeff Halpern, Kevin Westgarth and Darroll Powe all signed as free agents following their collegiate careers.