Standout Defenseman Signs With the Ducks

Defenseman Mike Crowley, one of the top collegiate players last season, has signed a two-year contract with the Mighty Ducks, the team announced Monday.

Crowley, who played the last three seasons at Minnesota, led the Western Collegiate Hockey Assn. in scoring, becoming the first defenseman to do so since Lou Nanne, former Minnesota North Star, in 1963. He had nine goals and 56 points.

“He has great skills and is a terrific offensive defenseman,” Duck assistant general manager David McNab said. “He broke just about every record at Minnesota.”

Crowley, 22, was a two-time All-American and a Hobey Baker finalist--given to the nation’s top college hockey player--for the second consecutive season. He was a leading candidate to win the award this season. His signing leaves Boston University’s Chris Drury--brother of the Ducks’ Ted Drury--as the front-runner for the award.

The Ducks acquired the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Crowley as part of a 1996 trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Ducks gave up forward Anatoli Semenov for forward Brian Wesenberg and Crowley’s rights. He was a fifth round pick by the Flyers in the 1993 draft.

Crowley will rejoin former Gopher teammate Dan Trebil, who played 29 games with the Ducks after being called up from Baltimore last season. The two have played together since youth hockey and were teamed on defense for two seasons at Minnesota. The also played together at Bloomington Jefferson High School.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play at the next level,” said Crowley, who had one year of eligibility left at Minnesota. “It seemed like the time was right. I spent three years at the university. It’s been fun, but the time finally came.”

Crowley will report to the Ducks’ training camp, which opens Sept. 9.