Junior Rob Bordson, who enjoyed a breakout season -- to say the least -- with the University of Minnesota Duluth this past winter, has decided to forego his final year of collegiate eligibility to play professionally as today (March 23) the Anaheim Ducks announced they signed the free agent left winger to a National Hockey League contract.

Bordson, a native of Duluth, Minn., placed in a tie for third on the UMD scoring charts this past winter with 40 points on 12 goals and 28 assists after going pointless in 15 outings as a sophomore. That represented the second largest one-year scoring improvement of any Bulldog in 17 years. Named insidecollegehockey.com's WCHA Breakthrough Player of the Year for 2009-10, Bordson currently ranks sixth in the league in overall assists and third in power play points (23).

Bordson becomes the sixth Bulldog since 2007 to leave school early for the professional ranks, joining winger Mason Raymond (with Vancouver in 2007), defensemen Matt Niskanen (Dallas in 2007), Jason Garrison (Florida in 2008) and Evan Oberg (Vancouver in 2009) and goaltender Alex Stalock (San Jose in 2009).