SAN JOSE, California – San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed unrestricted free agent center Travis Oleksuk to an entry-level contract. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Travis has had an outstanding collegiate career, including a National Championship and we are excited to help him take the next step in his hockey development,” said Wilson. “Head Coach Scott Sandelin and his staff at Minnesota-Duluth have done a terrific job creating a winning environment at UMD and we think Travis will benefit greatly from that experience moving forward.”

Oleksuk, 23, was the second-leading scorer for the University of Minnesota-Duluth of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 53 points (21 goals, 32 assists) in 41 games. He was named 2011-12 All-WCHA (third team) and his 53 points ranked him tied for fourth in all of Division 1 hockey.

As a member of the 2010-11 UMD team, Oleksuk assisted on the game-winning goal that clinched the school’s first National Championship. In 134 career games for UMD, he posted 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) and scored 15 game-winning goals which tied a school record.

The six-foot, 195-pound native of Thunder Bay, Ontario played two seasons in the United States Hockey League for the Sioux City Musketeers before joining the UMD Bulldogs