Bowling Green State University Athletics
Sexton Signs With NHL's Anaheim Ducks
April 10, 2009 | Ice Hockey
April 10, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, OHIO - Bowling Green State University sophomore forward Dan Sexton signed a contract with the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks earlier this week allowing him the chance to pursue a professional career in hockey.
The Apple Valley, Minn. native had his best season in 2008-09 emerging as one of the top players in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and nationally. Sexton, a 5-10, 170-pound right wing was sixth in the CCHA with 39 points, fifth in the league with 17 goals and tied for 13th with 22 assists. His point, goal and assist total for the `08-09 season were career bests and led the team. He was also among the league leaders in power-play points (t-5th, 18 pts. (5-13)) and shorthanded goals (t-3rd, 2).
Sexton was an honorable mention All-CCHA selection of the CCHA coaches barely missing a spot on the second team. Sexton had the seventh-highest point total among all CCHA forwards with the top three vote-getters earning the first team spots and the next three highest earning second team accolades.
Sexton scored a goal in 14 games last season, including five-in-a-row in the middle portion (Dec. 19-Jan. 16) of the schedule, and he had an assist in 14 contests. He had three assists in the season opener against RIT and a pair of assists in six other games. He had three games this season with two goals.
The new Anaheim Duck had six (6-4--10) and four-game (2-5--7) point streaks during the course of the `08-09 season and found his way onto the scoresheet in 24 of the 38 games he played. He was second on the team with five power-play goals while he had three game winners - vs. Nebraska-Omaha (Oct. 31 - with 3:16 left in the game), vs. Northern Michigan (Nov. 15 - with 2:14 left in the game) and vs. Clarkson (Dec. 19).
Sexton, who was the CCHA Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 22 for his performance in the Clarkson series (three goals), was even or better in 25 games with a best of +3 against Michigan State (Feb. 21).
Sexton combined with senior Brandon Svendsen and sophomore David Solway for most of the season giving the Falcons one of the most potent lines in college hockey. When they played together as a line, the accounted for approximately 50% of the BG points.
Sexton, who had seven goals and 14 assists as a freshman in 38 games, also led the `08-09 team with 28 points (12-16) in CCHA play.
Sexton signed a two-year entry-level contract and will finish the academic year at BGSU before attending Anaheim's prospect camp this summer and the Ducks' training camp in the fall. Anaheim's affiliate in the American Hockey League is the Iowa Chop.
BG finished the recent season with an 11-24-3 overall record and an 8-19-1 mark in the CCHA.
One additional note on a former BGSU players. Kevin Schmidt, a senior defenseman on the `08-09 team, recently signed an amateur tryout contract with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. The Markham, Ontario native played in 147 games in his career at BG scoring 12 goals and adding 40 assists. Last season, Schmidt had four goals and six assists playing in all 38 games.
