Golden Knights ready to dive into college free-agent pool
It’s time for George McPhee to go to school.
The college hockey season is winding down, and McPhee, the Golden Knights’ general manager, has been watching closely to see if there’s anyone he might want to sign as a free agent. Any college player who has gone undrafted and whose season has concluded is eligible to sign with an NHL team.
Last week, the Knights signed their first player, Reid Duke, a junior hockey free agent from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.
For the other 30 NHL teams, it means finding someone who could play immediately, though that doesn’t happen often. Jimmy Vesey managed to do so with the New York Rangers this season. Others who have made the jump from college free agency to the NHL in recent years include Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes and Boston’s Torey Krug.
For most players, it means a trip to the American Hockey League, as was the case with Las Vegas’ Cory Ward last year after he left Bemidji State to sign an amateur tryout contract with Montreal and the Canadiens assigned him to their AHL team in St. John, Newfoundland. Ward has spent this season playing mainly in the ECHL (Manchester) and two games with Syracuse of the AHL.
But since the Knights aren’t yet competing in the NHL and have no AHL farm club to assign a player, any signings they make would be with the understanding the player they get is for next season. Conceivably, the plan could be to sign several NCAA players to amateur tryout contracts, have them participate in the team’s development camp at the Las Vegas Ice Center in early July, bring them back to training camp in September and then assign them to the Knights’ AHL team for the start of 2017-18. The Knights are trying to finalize a working agreement with the Chicago Wolves.
McPhee said it was likely the team will engage in college free agency. But he didn’t know how many players the Knights would sign.
“It’s still a big jump from college to the NHL,” he said. “You have to see who’s out there and whether they want to come out and if they’re interested in you.”
But players can make the jump, and along with the NCAA free-agent market, there’s the June 23-24 NHL Entry Draft, at which the Knights could opt to draft a college player. The scouting staff has been watching NCAA games since September, and the Knights’ big board includes college names.
The Knights also are keeping an eye on Europe, where the pro seasons are winding down and undrafted players can be signed. The team has four European scouts, including one in Russia following the Kontinental Hockey League. Look for the Knights to do business overseas in the coming weeks.
“We’ve done a very thorough job of scouting at all levels,” McPhee said. “I think we know who is out there and what they can do.”
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Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.
COLLEGE FREE AGENTS TO WATCH
You could see one or more of these NCAA free agents in a Golden Knights uniform, as the team figures to be active in signing college players in the coming days and weeks (listed alphabetically):
• Daniel Brickley, D, Minnesota State. He was injured during the season (fractured wrist) but has a big shot and he's 6-3.
• Josh Healey, D, Ohio State. He hits hard, and his game is well-suited for NHL contact.
• Mitch Hults, C, Lake Superior State. Swift skating sophomore who does everything well, including kill penalties and play point on power play.
• Peyton Jones, G, Penn State. A late bloomer who at 6-4, 210 has the size, athleticism and skill to cover an NHL net.
• Tyler Kelleher, RW, New Hampshire. The senior forward leads the NCAA in scoring and averages close to two points a game. But he's just 5-6. Yes, 5-6.
• Neal Pionk, D, Minnesota Duluth. The sophomore can really skate and is an excellent passer. His game is well-suited for today's NHL.
• C.J. Smith, LW, UMass Lowell. Team's leading goal-scorer with high hockey IQ.
• John Stevens, F, Northeastern. The son of a former NHL coach has just three goals and has missed 13 games this year because of injuries. But he's the Huskies' captain and is a smart player.
• Mike Vecchione, C, Union. He's second in NCAA D-I in scoring and a likely finalist for Hobey Baker Award. But he's only 5-10.
• Blake Winiecki, C, St. Cloud State. A 6-1 junior who is developing into a nice two-way player. Strong on faceoffs and responsible in defensive half of ice.