Dillon Simpson Signs with Edmonton Oilers

North Dakota outgoing senior defenseman Dillon Simpson has agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Simpson, whose father Craig played six seasons with the Oilers and spent another three years there as an assistant, was drafted in the fourth round, 92nd overall in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Oilers.

Simpson came to North Dakota as a 17-year-old, and though he was never a huge offensive contributor--he tallied a career-high 24 points in his junior campaign--he was a solid, steady member of the North Dakota blue line for four years, and developed into a top pairing defenseman and true leader on North Dakota's team this past season.

We ranked Simpson 24th overall on our list of the Top 100 NHL Prospects in NCAA Hockey this past season. Here's what we said about him:

Simpson first came to North Dakota as a 17-year-old, and as a result, got a bit lost in the shuffle as he adjusted to playing against much older competition. But over the course of his career, he’s quietly become one of the most effective two-way defensemen in the NCAA, capable of playing in every situation. He’s got excellent hockey sense which should help lead him to a long NHL career.