Caporusso Signs Two Year Contract With Ottawa
Michigan Wolverines hockey star Louie Caporusso has signed a two year entry level contract with the Ottawa Senators. Caporusso, 21, was a third round pick of the Senators in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the 90th overall pick that year. Caporusso spent four year in Ann Arbor playing for the Wolverines, including a trip to the national title game this past season.
Bryan Vickroy
Louie Caporusso made his way up the junior circuit in his hometown of Toronto before heading off to Ann Arbor, Michigan as a true freshman in 2007. He scored 21 points in 33 games his freshman year, missing part of the season due to injury, but helping lead the Wolverines to a Frozen Four. Caporusso’s sophmore season was another jump in play, seeing the leftie score 24 goals and 49 points in 41 games. The productive season saw Caporusso finish fifth nationally in goals scored, eighth nationally in points scored, and much postseason accolade. Caporusso even was a finalist for the Hobey Baker in his sophmore year.
Louie Caporusso scored 21 goals and 43 points his junior year. The team struggled throughout the season, including Caporusso at times, but the Wolverines rallied to win six straight CCHA playoff games and claim the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Caporusso’s senior year began with very high expectations. Caporusso was named to the All CCHA preseason first team, and the Wolverines were pegged as potential NCAA champions. Caporusso scored 11 goals and notched 19 assists for Michigan, helping them win in season tournaments, the Big Chill at the Big House against Michigan State, the CCHA regular season championship, and an appearance in the 2011 Frozen Four. Caporusso’s Wolverines fell to Minnesota Duluth in the national championship game. For his college career, Caporusso scored 68 goals and had 76 assists in 160 games. He also netted 15 game winning goals for the Wolverines.
After finishing school, Caporusso faced the prospects of starting his professional hockey career. The Ottawa Senator’s third round pick in 2007, the 90th overall pick in the draft, Caporusso signed a two year entry level contract with the Senators. The signing gives Caporusso an opportunity to fight for a spot on the soon to be new look Senators. While his size (5′ 10″, 190) is considered a detriment, his speed and stickhandling skills will definitely be an asset to an organization desperate for offensive firepower. While Caporusso will probably not make the NHL roster on opening day, he will have the time and skills to hone his craft in Binghampton before getting the call up to the bigs. Caporusso, once he gets his chance, will likely be a top two line forward. If he continues to play strong in both ends of his ice, I think he should see a good deal of personal success in his NHL career.
Bryan Vickroy has an addiction to hockey, and is willing to partake in all its forms. He is skating extra shifts for The Sports Bank, covering the Minnesota Wild, the NHL, and NCAA hockey all year long. Look for new articles throughout the week. He can be followed on Twitter at @bryanvickroy. If you’d prefer to speak in more than 140 characters at a time to him, he can be reached at bryan.vickroy@gmail.com .
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