The Pittsburgh Penguins, parent club of the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, have signed forward Colin McDonald to a one-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
McDonald’s contract is a two-way contract worth $525,000 at the NHL level.
McDonald, 26, spent the 2010-11 season with the Edmonton Oilers’ top affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL). McDonald led the AHL with 42 goals — earning the league’s Willie Marshall Award — and added 16 assists for 58 points in 80 games. McDonald’s goal, assist and point totals were all career highs.
The 6-foot-3, 205-pound McDonald played two games at the NHL level with Edmonton during the 2009-10 season, scoring one goal.
McDonald, who hails from Wethersfield, Conn., has spent the majority of the past four seasons in the AHL after being drafted by Edmonton in the second round (51st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to this season, he played three seasons with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. In 306 career AHL games, McDonald has posted 76 goals, 60 assists and 126 points.
McDonald played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Providence College, notching 77 points (43g, 34a) in 135 games with the Friars. His father, Gerry McDonald, also saw action in the NHL, playing eight games for the Hartford Whalers between 1981-84.
