The NHL’s San Jose Sharks announced today that they have signed Cornell senior defenseman Joakim Ryan to a two-year, entry-draft level contract. He will report to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks, for the remainder of the season. The Sharks drafted the Rumson, NJ native in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft, after his freshman year.
Ryan was tied for second on the team in points (1-13-14), gaining a First Team All-ECAC selection in the process, despite missing eight games in November. In 123 career games for the Big Red, he notched 78 points on 19 goals and 59 assists. A skilled two-way defenseman, Ryan has been a consistent presence on Cornell’s power play and penalty killing units the past four years, as the Big Red led the nation in penalty killing this year. His return from injury also saw the team’s power play steadily improve, as their 20.3% conversion rate in ECAC play was tied for first in the league.
Despite being undrafted upon his arrival to East Hill, he set a program record for goals by a freshman defenseman with seven, the last of which coming in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. His shorthanded tally in the second period of the regional semifinal vs. top-seeded Michigan helped the Big Red pull off a stunning 3-2 overtime upset. After his spectacular freshman campaign, the Sharks drafted him in the seventh round of that year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Ryan is the second Cornell hockey player since the end of the season to sign an NHL contract, as senior forward Cole Bardreau recently signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.
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