DENVER – Captain
Justin Lee of the University of Denver hockey team has signed an American Hockey League contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the 2023-24 season, the AHL club announced on Tuesday. Lee will join Wilkes-Barre for the remainder of this season on an amateur tryout.
The defenseman recorded a career-high six goals and added seven assists while playing in all 40 games during the 2022-23 campaign. Lee ranked second among Denver rear guards in goals and was fourth in points with 13. Four of his goals were game-winners, the first ones of his career and finishing tied for second overall on the squad.
Lee was the 2022-23 NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year, as he led the team with a plus-30 rating and 59 penalty minutes and was third on the squad with 53 blocked shots. He was the first DU player to earn the award from the conference.
Named the 93rd captain in program history prior to the season on Sept. 22, Lee appeared in his 100th career game on Oct. 28 at Miami and suited up in his 125th career contest on Feb. 18 versus Minnesota Duluth.
The Waskada, Manitoba, native played 133 games at Denver and finished with 15 goals, 26 assists, 41 points, 117 penalty minutes, 134 blocked shots and a plus-49 rating in his college career. He recorded a personal-best 13 assists and 16 points (3g/13a) as a junior in 2021-22 while serving as an alternate captain and helping the program win its record-tying ninth national championship.
A member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Lee was the recipient of the team's Keith Magnuson Best Defensive Player Award in 2021-22.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. The WBS Penguins have nine games remaining in the season.
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