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Posted: Mar 11, 2019

Jake Lucchini signs NHL contract with Pittsburgh Penguins

Jake Lucchini signs NHL contract with Pittsburgh Penguins

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Michigan Tech hockey senior forward Jake Lucchini has signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford on Monday (March 11).

The contract will begin with the 2019-20 season. Lucchini will report to Pittsburgh's American Hockey League affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this week on an amateur tryout contract. Lucchini was a free agent and attended Pittsburgh Penguins Annual Prospect Development Camp last June.

Lucchini, a native of Trail, British Columbia, never missed a game in his Michigan Tech career, skating in 164 contests. He led all active college players in the category and finished one game short of tying a Tech record. Lucchini became the 66th player in Tech history to reach 100 career points. He finished with 104 points on 45 goals and 59 assists.

As a senior, he co-captained the Huskies and led the team in points with 26 on 11 goals and 15 assists. He was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Month for November when he led the league with 13 points and Tech to a 6-3-1 record during the month. He was named the NCAA's First Star on November 13 after racking up five points at Ferris State and to the Great Lakes Invitational All-Tournament Team with a goal in the title game and a shootout goal in the semifinal. He has seven multi-point games with three points at Alabama Huntsville (Nov. 3), at Ferris State (Nov. 10), and home against Alaska (Nov. 24). He scored a pair of goals in the last game of the season at No. 15 Bowling Green.

Lucchini received the Merv Youngs Award as the team most valuable player and also the Gary Crosby Memorial Award while serving as an alternate captain as a junior. He led the Huskies in goals (16), assists (23), and total points (39), finishing seventh overall in the WCHA in points. Lucchini was named to the NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team, the WCHA Offensive Player of March, and a WCHA Offensive Player of the Week (Feb. 5).

Lucchini had 22 points as a sophomore on 11 goals and 11 assists. He ranked ninth in the nation with five game-winning goals. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team as a freshman and received the Norbert Matovich Memorial Award as the team's top newcomer. He tallied 17 points on seven goals and 10 assists and ranked fourth among freshmen in the WCHA with 11 points in league games.

Prior to Michigan Tech, Lucchini played three seasons with his hometown Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2012-15. In 168 career games with the Smoke Eaters, the forward compiled 117 points (48G-69A). As team captain in 2015, Lucchini led the team in goals (35), assists (48) and points (83) in 56 games. His 83 points ranked fourth in the BCHL earning him BCHL Second Team All-Star honors.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have 16 games remaining in their regular season and currently sit sixth in the Atlantic Division. The top four teams from each division qualify for the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs.