Quinnipiac men’s hockey graduate student defenseman and team captain Zach Metsa signed a contract with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, the team announced Thursday. 

Metsa will join the Americans on a professional tryout agreement for the remainder of the season before beginning a two-year AHL deal at the start of the 2023-24 season.

He joins graduate student forwards TJ Friedmann and Michael Lombardi and sophomore goaltender Yaniv Perets in signing professional contracts in the days following Quinnipiac’s national championship victory on April 8. 

Metsa, a native of Delafield, Wisconsin, recorded 121 points in 177 games with the Bobcats, including back to back 37 point seasons in his senior and graduate years. He was named All American East First-Team in 2021-22 and Second Team in 2022-23. 

He capped off his career with Quinnipiac by dishing out assists on all three goals in the national championship game against Minnesota, including setting up sophomore forward Jacob Quillan’s game winner in overtime. 

“It’s obviously special to be a captain for this program, especially in the national championship,” Metsa said after the Bobcats 3-2 win on April 8. “It’s crazy. It’s so special. But these guys made it so easy for me, I can’t even take credit, they all showed up, they worked their bags off all year long and I’m just happy they get to reap the benefits.”

With Metsa’s departure, Quinnipiac will look to name its 50th captain in program history for the 2023-24 campaign.