CHICAGO, Ill. – Junior Evan Barratt (Bristol, Pa.) will forgo his senior season in Hockey Valley and become the seventh Nittany Lion in program history, and third this season, to sign an NHL contract after agreeing to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks the club announced on Thursday afternoon.
Barratt, who was drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round (90th overall) of the 2017 NHL entry draft, joins Sucese and Biro who each inked entry-level deals earlier this offseason along with Andrew Sturtz (Ottawa), Casey Bailey (Toronto), Eamon McAdam (New York Islanders) and Vince Pedrie (New York Rangers) who also agreed to NHL contracts following their time at Penn State.
"I absolutely loved watching Barry play and practice over the past three seasons, he just loves playing the game and loves to score and he figures out some pretty amazing and inventive ways to do so," commented head coach Guy Gadowsky. "We are very proud of Evan and can't wait to see him spin his magic in a Blackhawks uniform."
Barratt became just the fourth Nittany Lion in program history to be named to the All-Big Ten First-Team in 2018-19 finishing second on the team and 13th in the nation with a career-best 43-point season on 16 goals and 27 assists. His point total currently ranks as the third highest single-season mark all-time at Penn State while his 27 assists are tied for the second-most and his 16 goals rank tied for ninth.
Barratt played in just 32 of Penn State's 39 games last season as he also represented the United States during the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship in Victoria/Vancouver, British Columbia earning a Silver Medal after skating in all seven games scoring one goal.
This past season, the Bristol, Pennsylvania native also finished second on the team and tied for third in the Big Ten with 34 points on a team-high 12 goals while adding 22 assists. Barratt once again dazzled the national audience this season scoring a pair of highlight-reel goals that graced SportsCenter's top-10. Over the past two season's Barratt's uncanny stick skills have appeared on SC's top-10 on four separate occasions, climbing as high as No. 2.
Barratt came up just shy of the 100 games and 100-point mark at Penn State finishing his Nittany Lion career with 95 points on 39 goals and 56 assists in 98 games played. His .970 career points per game mark ranks second in program history only behind classmate Alex Limoges' .971 mark while his 1.34 points per game mark in 2018-19 is a single-season program record. Barratt's 95 points rank eighth on the Penn State all-time scoring list while his 39 goals and 56 assists are good for tenth and eighth in program history, respectively.
"From the moment I stepped foot on campus as a freshman, I knew this place was special. Hockey as well as playing at Pegula Ice Arena are one thing, but the people I came in contact with and the teammates I've had is what truly made this place so special," mentioned Barratt. "Everything I've experienced as a student-athlete has prepared me to be able to make this jump and I am forever grateful for my time at Penn State."
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