The Vegas Golden Knights have wasted little time with bringing a prospect aboard as his season comes to an end.
On Tuesday, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced that the team has signed former Providence College forward Trevor Connelly to a three-year entry-level contract.
The move comes shortly after Providence’s NCAA Tournament loss to the University of Denver. effectively ending Connelly’s lone collegiate season. In 23 games, Connelly tallied 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and helped guide the Friars to a 21-11-5 record.
Drafted by the Golden Knights with the 19th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Connelly has also appeared with Team USA during the U20 World Junior Championships. During the Americans’ gold-medal run, Connelly appeared in all seven games, recording four points (one goal, three assists) and a +3 rating.
According to PuckPedia, the deal does not start until next season. While that means he will not burn the first year of the contract, it also means that Connelly is ineligible to play for the Golden Knights for the remainder of this season. It is also unclear if he will make the team out of training camp next season, or if he will begin his professional career with the Henderson Silver Knights in the American Hockey League for added development time.
