Following an incredible season that resulted in First-Team All-Big Ten honors, Penn State hockey sophomore defenseman Vince Pedrie will forgo his last two years of college eligibility to sign with the New York Rangers. Pedrie announced his decision via Instagram (what a time to be alive, right?) Monday night:

It comes with a heavy heart that I announce I will not be returning to Penn State for my final two years. I personally want to thank my coaches, trainers, fans, the roar zone, and most importantly my teammates for the best two years of my life. I love you guys. 5 years ago Penn State didn’t have a division 1 hockey team; today we are Big Ten Champions. The memories I’ve made in just two years will last a lifetime. I love everything about this university and I will always be a proud Penn Stater. With that being said, I am extremely excited to start my professional hockey career with the New York Rangers. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I also want to thank my family. Words can’t even come close to describing how much you mean to me, and how thankful I am for you guys. Loading up a van that has over 200,000 miles on it every weekend to come see me play, no matter the weather, I’m truly blessed to have such an amazing family. I love you guys.

A post shared by Vince Pedrie (@pedrie24) on Mar 27, 2017 at 8:39pm PDT

Pedrie, a blue-liner with an offensive flair, led all Big Ten defensemen in goals this season. His 30 points in 39 games played were good for the all-time Penn State defenseman record. He personified the season that changed Penn State hockey — his skilled brand of defense complemented the trademark Nittany Lion offense.

The details of the contract haven’t been revealed yet, but we’re assuming Pedrie will be at tomorrow’s media availability or news will surface sooner. We’ll update when it does. There are currently eight defensemen already on the Rangers’ roster, so it’s likely he’ll join their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack, unless there’s an injury. Congrats, Vince — your hand in Hockey Valley’s rise to national prominence cannot be understated.