After re-signing two players yesterday, the Vegas Golden Knights have added three more names to their future plans. The team announced this evening that they have come to terms on entry-level contracts with draft picks Jake Leschyshyn and Ben Jones and free agent Gage Quinney. Leschyshyn and Jones signed three-year deals, while Quinney signed a two-year deal. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed.
Leschyshyn is likely the most familiar name of the group, both due to his actual name and his draft slot. The 19-year-old center was selected in the second round of the draft last year at #62 overall, though he was actually the Knights’ fifth pick of the draft and third center. Leschyshyn plays for the Memorial Cup host Regina Pats of the WHL and scored five points in seven WHL playoff games and added a goal in the Cup tournament. During the regular season, his 40 points in 64 games was somewhat underwhelming on a talented Pats team, but there is still a lot to like about the well-rounded game of the North Carolina native.
If Vegas fans are looking for a prospect with more exciting recent results, look no further than Jones. The Knights took a flier on the raw forward in the seventh round of the draft and it paid off for them. The 19-year-old center scored 79 points in 68 games this season with the OHL’s Niagara Ice Dogs, which was good enough for third on the team in scoring. Jones then took his game to the next level in the playoffs, registering a team-best 12 points in ten games. Jones has take a major step as and NHL prospect and is yet another promising prospect for the Knights.
Quinney appears to be a sentimental pick up more than anything. The Las Vegas native grew up playing youth hockey in the area and is the son of former NHLer and Las Vegas Thunder minor leaguer Ken Quinney. Quinney played four seasons in the WHL before turning pro, during which he only put up modest offensive totals. He played all of last season in the ECHL before landing a starting role with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this year. In both of his pro campaigns, Quinney has continued to be only a moderate offensive producer, but appears to be rounding out his game. The ceiling may not be high for the 22-year-old forward, but he is likely to be a fan-favorite prospect immediately.