GRAND FORKS, N.D. ? University of North Dakota men's hockey defenseman Taylor Chorney (Hastings, Minn.) will forego his final season of college hockey eligibility to sign a professional contract with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, it was announced today by Kevin Prendergast, the Edmonton Oilers vice president of hockey operations.

Chorney, the Oilers' second choice (36th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, completed his third season of collegiate hockey with UND in 2007-08. In 43 games with the Fighting Sioux this past season, Chorney finished sixth in team scoring with 24 points, netting three goals and 21 assists in 43 games.

A two-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) all-conference selection, the 21-year-old defenseman was first team All-WCHA this past season and helped lead North Dakota to the NCAA Frozen Four. Chorney played in the Frozen Four in all three of his seasons at UND.

As a sophomore in 2006-07, Chorney was named to a second team West All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association after scoring 8-23-31 with 48 penalty minutes in 39 games.

During his three seasons at UND, Chorney scored 14 goals while adding 59 assists for a total of 73 points. He also had 126 penalty minutes in 126 career games.

Not only a standout talent with North Dakota, Chorney also was a key member with Team USA on the international stage. He played for the United States at the 2006 and 2007 IIHF World Junior Championships and captained the 2007 team to a bronze medal with a 2-1 victory over Sweden. Chorney was also chosen as captain of the U.S. Under-17 and Under-18 national teams.