NHL: Senators Draft Choice Michael Sdao Pacing Princeton Blueliners in Points

The first Princeton University player drafted by an NHL team since 2001, Michael Sdao is currently leading all Tigers' defensemen in scoring. With six goals and nine assists for 15 points, which are all-career highs in his first 20 games this season.

He's also pacing all Princeton players with 61-penalty minutes and is third in overall-team scoring.

In 14 games in Eastern College Athletic Conference play this year, the 6'4", 230-pound Sdao has posted 12 points (4-8). This currently ranks him third among ECAC defensemen. It has him tied for 11th amongst all conference skaters. His best game to date came on November 14 at conference rival Brown, when he set up two goals in regulation and then scored the game-winner in overtime.

Taken in the seventh round by the Ottawa Senators in 2009, the junior blueliner from Niwot, Colorado enrolled at Princeton after playing two seasons with Lincoln of the United States Hockey League—where he accumulated 340 penalty minutes.

The only drafted player on the Princeton roster, Sdao has tallied 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points and 174-penalty minutes in 77-career college games with the Tigers. Included in his totals are five power-play goals and two game-winners.

He's also the first Princeton player to be drafted since fellow defenseman Matt Maglione was tabbed by the Washington Capitals in the eighth round in 2001.

Princeton (6-10-5 overall, 5-8-2 ECAC) was 2-1-3 in its last six games, having last played in a 3-3 tie against No. 9 Cornell on January 14. The Tigers are currently on their exam break and will return to action against UConn on January 31.

Now an assistant captain, Sdao tallied two goals in an 8-1 win against the Huskies as a freshman.

Following the UConn game, Princeton will close out the campaign with seven-consecutive ECAC contests, while battling for home ice in the first round of the conference tournament.