Players Continue to Leave College Ranks for NHL Contracts

You know it's almost the end of the college hockey season this time of year, and not just because we're down to the Frozen Four next weekend in Tampa. No, you know it's near the end because players with one, two and sometimes even three years of college eligibility remaining have started foregoing it altogether to sign professional contracts.

For better or worse, it has gotten to be a fact of life for the college game (in the the last decade) that some players are going to leave school before their four years on campus are up. Whether they make it or not to the NHL ranks remains to be seen, but here are some of the players who won't be back for the 2012-13 NCAA campaign, as outlined at USCHO.com

Players listed in alphabetical order by last name, with their last year completed, position played, school, and NHL organization signed with:

Scott Arnold, Soph., F, Niagara (Phoenix Coyotes)
Anthony Bitetti, Soph., D, Northeastern (Nashville Predators)
Terry Broadhurst, Jr., F, Nebraska-Omaha (Chicago Blackhawks)
Chris Brown, Jr., F, Michigan (Phoenix Coyotes)
J.T. Brown, Soph., F, Minnesota-Duluth (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Alex Chiasson, Jr., Forward, Boston University (Dallas Stars)
David Eddy., Jr., F, St. Cloud State (Calgary Flames)
Torey Krug, Jr., D, Michigan State (Boston Bruins)
Mike Lee, Jr., G, St. Cloud State (Phoenix Coyotes)
Cole Schneider, Soph., F, Connecticut (Ottawa Senators)
Jaden Schwartz, Soph., F, Colorado College (St. Louis Blues)
Riley Sheahan, Jr., F, Notre Dame (Detroit Red Wings)
Drew Shore, Jr., F, Denver  (Florida Panthers)
Reilly Smith, Jr., F, Miami (Dallas Stars)
Sebastian Stalberg., Jr., F, Vermont (San Jose Sharks)
Matt Tennyson, Jr., D, Western Michigan (San Jose Sharks)
Zach Trotman, Jr., D, Lake Superior State (Boston Bruins)
Jason Zucker, Soph., F, Denver (Minnesota Wild)

Look for more players to likely join the list as spring turns into summer, like Boston College junior forward Chris Kreider (New York Rangers) and junior defenseman Brian Dumoulin (Carolina Hurricanes).