Vinni Lettieri, who completed a four-year career with the Gophers hockey team Saturday, agreed to a two-year deal with the New York Rangers.
The 5-10 forward will join the Rangers' American Hockey League team in Hartford, Conn.
Lettieri, 22, was an undrafted free agent, and chose the Rangers over the Chicago Blackhawks.
He played high school hockey at Minnetonka and had a career high 19 goals this season as the Gophers won the Big Ten regular-season championship before losing to Penn State in the conference tournament and Notre Dame in the NCAA tourney. Lettieri is the grandson of former Gopher and North Star Lou Nanne and son of ex-Kicks soccer goalie Tino Lettieri.
Hartford has eight games remaining in the AHL season. The Wolf Pack is 22-39-4.
MICHAEL RUSSO
Award winners
• Gophers softball catcher Kendyl Lindaman was chosen the Big Ten's freshman of the week for the third time, after batting .475 with a home run and six RBI and two runs scored as the Gophers opened conference play with a sweep of Nebraska. She hit a key three-run home run in the sixth inning of Sunday's series finale.
• Minnesota sophomore Justin Karstadt was chosen the conference's gymnast of the week for the second time this season. Karstadt totaled 87.050 points in winning the all-around competition in a meet aginst Nebraska, becoming only the fourth gymnast in the nation to score above an 87.000, and first in the Big Ten this season. Karstadt also won event titles on rings and parallel bars, topping 14.000 in each event.
