J.T. Brown, a 2011-12 All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association first team selection,  has decided to forgo his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility to play professionally as today (March 28) the Tampa Bay Lightning announced they signed the sophomore right winger to a  two-year National Hockey League contract.

He is expected to join the Lightning later this week.

A native of Burnsville, Minn., Brown established career-highs in virtually every offensive category this past season, including goals (a team-leading 24), assists (23), total points (47), power play goals (eight), and game winners (four) while skating in 39 of 41 games. He also currently tops the nation in both plus-minus rating (+29) and shots on goal (187). Earlier this winter, Brown, became the first Bulldog to record two hat tricks in the same season (three goals at the University of Nebraska Omaha on Jan. 13 and four goals at the University of Alaska Anchorage three weeks later) since MacGregor Sharp did it in 2008-09.

Brown, the 2011 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player, is the 10th Bulldog since 2007 to leave school early for the professional ranks, joining left wingers Mason Raymond (with Vancouver in 2007), Rob Bordson (Anaheim in 2010) and Mike Connolly (San Jose in 2011), defensemen Matt Niskanen (Dallas in 2007), Jason Garrison (Florida in 2008), Evan Oberg (Vancouver in 2009), Dylan Olsen (Chicago in 2010) and Justin Faulk (Carolina in 2011) and goaltender Alex Stalock (San Jose in 2009).