Bowling Green State University Athletics
Hockey's Derek Whitmore Inks Two-Year Deal With The Buffalo Sabres
March 26, 2008 | Ice Hockey
March 26, 2008
Buffalo, N.Y. - The Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League announced the signing of Bowling Green State University senior forward Derek Whitmore on Wednesday (Mar. 26) to a two-year contract. Whitmore, who just recently completed his four-year career with the Falcons, will report immediately to the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans, where he is expected to be in the lineup later in the week.
"This is just a dream come true for me," Whitmore said. "I grew up watching both the Sabres and the Americans [Rochester] as a youngster and it'll be an amazing experience getting to play at home in Rochester over the next few weeks. But, this isn't just a big moment for me. This is also a big moment for the Bowling Green hockey program as a whole and it says a lot about the people involved with the program there. I obviously couldn't have gotten to this point without coach [Scott] Paluch's help over the last four years and the help of his staff. Coach [Todd] Reirden and coach [Doug] Schueller did a lot for me behind the scenes this past season as well and they were just as big part of me getting here as anyone."
Whitmore, a native of Rochester, helped lead the Falcons to the second round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs this past season, for the first time since 2001. He also helped the Falcons amass 18 wins, which were the most by a Falcon team in the last 13 years.
A second Team All-Central Collegiate Hockey Association selection this past season, Whitmore tallied a career-best 37 points in his senior campaign as he also set a new career mark with 27 goals. Those 27 goals currently rank tied for fifth in the country, while his 0.71 goals per game mark ranks sixth. They were the most goals scored in a season by a Falcon player since current NHL player, Mike Johnson of the St. Louis Blues, scored 30 in the 1996-97 season. He had 22 of his goals in Falcon wins, as the Falcons were 13-8-0 on the year when he scored a point and 7-2 when he had multiple-points. In his four-year career, the Falcons were 34-30-4 when he scores and 16-7-1 when he scored twice in a game or more.
In 28 conference games, Whitmore scored 30 points, including 23 goals, seven assists, five game-winning goals, 10 power-play goals and one short-handed marker. His 23 goals in conference play ranked tied for first in the league with Miami's Ryan Jones, his point total in CCHA play was then tied for fourth, while his 10 extra-man goals ranked third. Overall, Whitmore had 13 total goals on the man-advantage, which were the most by a Falcon since the 1998-99 season when Adam Edinger had 14.
Over the course of his four-year career, the 5-foot-10-inch forward totaled 103 total points on 70 career goals 33 career assists. That point total ranks tied for 63rd on the all-time BGSU career-scoring list.
Whitmore was also a three-time CCHA Player of the Week honoree during his four-year stint as he played in 143 career games.
For more information on Whitmore check out the links at the top of the page.
