Curtis Doell, who led Minnesota-Duluth defensemen in scoring last season, has decided to forego his final two years of college eligibility, signing a three-year deal with the Florida Panthers of the NHL.
The 21-year old Doell, a 6-1, 220-pounder from Saskatoon, Sask., skated in 39 games last year and racked up nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points while totaling 120 penalty minutes, the second-most ever by a Bulldog.
The previous season, Doell was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team, becoming the first Minnesota-Duluth defenseman to achieve that honor. His freshman year, he was also the recipient of the Bob Junkert Award for the best plus-minus rating of any UMD player.
Minnesota-Duluth posted a 21-17-2 overall record in 1997-98, placing fifth in the WCHA standings with a 14-12-2 mark.
