After earning the Lowe’s Senior CLASS and ECAC Hockey Student-Athlete of the Year awards this season, senior forward Colin Greening will take his game to the NHL after signing a contract with the Ottawa Senators. The Red captain was drafted by the Senators in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL Draft, and officially came to terms on an agreement with the team after four years on East Hill. Greening — a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland — tallied 55 goals and 66 assists in 137 games at Cornell, becoming one of three Red players to reach the 100 career point plateau this season. Senior forward Blake Gallagher and junior forward Riley Nash joined Greening in the 100 point club, becoming the first trio of Cornell teammates to achieve the feat in the same season since 1975-76. Greening was also well-represented at the team’s annual awards ceremony, where he received the Bill Doran Sportsmanship Award and the Joe Delibero-Stan Tsapis Award for his work on the ice and in the classroom.
The captain will be joined in the NHL by senior defenseman Brendon Nash who signed a free agent contract with the Montreal Canadiens earlier this month. Nash compiled 67 points in his 120 games on defense for the Red, including eight goals and 59 assists. In his senior season, Nash tallied two goals on 14 assists in 21 games. Nash’s younger brother Riley could also make the leap to the NHL after three years at Cornell, though information on his future has not yet been announced. Riley Nash was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft. Senior defenseman Justin Kreuger could also see time in the professional ranks, after being drafted in the 7th round in 2006 by the Carolina Hurricanes. Next year’s team will feature three players who have already been drafted by NHL teams — sophomore forward Sean Collins (Columbus Blue Jackets) and freshmen defensemen Nick D’Agostino (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Braden Birch (Chicago Blackhawks) — in addition to an incoming class that includes Ithaca native and U.S. Under-18 Team starting goaltender Andy Iles.
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Original Author: Sun Staff