RPI's D'Amigo leaving RPI

It looks like the RPI's Jerry D'Amigo, who was last season's ECAC Rookie of the Year, will be leaving Troy to sign a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. D'Amigo follows Cornell's Riley Nash and Harvard's Louis Leblanc as the latest ECAC stars to leave for the NHL.

The Binghamton, New York native was drafted in the sixth round by the Leafs in the 2009 NHL Draft. This past season he averaged slightly less than one point a game for the Engineers (35 GP, 10 G, 24 A, 34 Pts), and played a major role in leading Team USA to a gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Bleacher Report ranks D'Amigo as Toronto's #6 prospect, but also say he will not make it to the big club this upcoming season.

D'Amigo's departure is a HUGE blow to RPI and their hopes to making a ECAC Final Four appearance. They are losing their third leading scorer and a major play-maker with lots of jump. I'm sure a line of D'Amigo, Chase Polacek, and Brandon Pirri would have been arguably the best line in the ECAC and one of the best in the country.

In three games against Union, D'Amigo registered three assists. Maybe if Union fans are lucky, Pirri will follow D'Amigo out of RPI.

For more check out Yahoo! Sports.

Also, be sure to check out what RPI Head Coach Seth Appert has to say about D'Amigo and his decision on Ken Schott's Blog.