University of Denver junior Ryan Dingle will sign a professional contract today with the Anaheim Ducks, DU sources said.
Dingle, who grew up in Steamboat Springs and Littleton, led the Pioneers in goal scoring the past two seasons. He had 27 goals in 2005-06 and 22 this season.
He will become the fourth DU player in the past two years to leave school early for the pros. Defenseman and captain-to-be Brett Skinner signed with Vancouver in the summer of 2005. Defenseman Matt Carle and center Paul Stastny signed a year ago with San Jose and Colorado, respectively.
Dingle, who will be 23 next week, is an undrafted free agent, so he was free to negotiate with any team. After completing the school year, he will join an NHL club that has had success grooming undrafted college stars.
Ducks first-line forwards Andy McDonald (Colgate) and Chris Kunitz (Ferris State) also were bypassed during their draft-eligible years of 18-20 years old.
Wolverine to King
Defenseman Jack Johnson was a Michigan sophomore Saturday and a Los Angeles Kings rookie Sunday, beginning what figures to be an avalanche of NHL underclassmen signings from three of the four West Regional teams.
After losing 8-5 to North Dakota at the Pepsi Center on Saturday, the Wolverines flew back to Ann Arbor, Mich., but Johnson and his father remained in Denver, finalizing a deal with the Kings.
Johnson was picked No. 3 overall in 2005 behind Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.
