GRAND FORKS, N.D.- University of North Dakota senior center Chris VandeVelde has agreed to a contract with the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and will report to Edmonton's American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass.

VandeVelde, a native of Moorhead, Minn., was drafted by Edmonton in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-2, 207-pound VandeVelde led the Fighting Sioux in scoring in 2009-10 with a career-high 41 points. He scored 16 goals, including seven on the power-play and four game-winners, and collected a career-high 25 assists. VandeVelde also won a team-leading 477 faceoffs and had a faceoff success rate of 54.2 percent.

VandeVelde was named to the 2010 Red Baron WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team after scoring two goals and three assists in three games in leading the Sioux to the Broadmoor Trophy as tournament champions.

In Feburary, VandeVelde was named a WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and was named to the All-WCHA Academic Team.

VandeVelde played in 166 career games, tied for eighth all-time at UND, and scored 52 goals and 65 assists for 117 points. He scored at least 30 points in each of his last three seasons.


- Go Sioux -