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Vegas Golden Knights Sign Nic Hague and Dylan Ferguson to Three Year Entry Level Deals

By Richard Cardinale

VANCOUVER, BC - SEPTEMBER 17: Nicolas Hague #14 of the Las Vegas Golden Knights skates before a game against the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action on September 17, 2017 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
VANCOUVER, BC - SEPTEMBER 17: Nicolas Hague #14 of the Las Vegas Golden Knights skates before a game against the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action on September 17, 2017 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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The Vegas Golden Knights locked up two important pieces to their future in the past few days.

Transactions always seem to get lost in the mix during the preseason. Especially when its the Vegas Golden Knights first preseason and all the attention is on the main roster. But what about the team’s young top prospects?

The Golden Knights signed their three first-round picks in the 2017 NHL entry level draft Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom. And not only did Knights General Manager George McPhee get that done in short order, but he also knows who he’s building his future around. However, they’re not the only key cogs that will lead the operation in the next few years.

Over the span of the last 24 hours, the Golden Knights signed Nic Hague and Dylan Ferguson to entry-level contracts. Hague and Ferguson didn’t stand out in camp because they’re so raw and new to the NHL pace, but the talent level is there. It’ll be interesting to see how these players pan out but first, let’s go over their skill sets.

Hague was expected to be off the board in the first round. Instead, Vegas was there to snatch him with the 34th overall pick in the second round. McPhee didn’t hesitate to take a chance on the first round talent. This selection may have been the best pick of the entire weekend for the franchise.

Hague put up huge numbers for the Mississauga Steelheads in 2016-17. The Kitchener, Ontario native scored 18 goals, 28 assists, and 46 points. But that’s not all, in 12 playoff games, he went on to register one goal, 11 assists, and 12 points.

Hague’s biggest feature is his size at 6’6 and weighs in at 215 lbs. He’s brilliant in his defensive zone and loves to put his physicality on display. The 18 -year old can play in all situations and can even be the anchor at the point on the power play.

As for Ferguson, his path to the Vegas Golden Knights was a bit different from everybody else’s. The Golden Knights acquired the Lantzville, British Columbia native from the Stars in exchange for Marc Methot and a second-round draft pick. The price may have been a little steep for a seventh-round pick, but McPhee and the front office obviously value the goaltender.

In 2016-2017, Ferguson went 16-10-2 with a GAA of 2.74, and a save percentage of .922 in 31 games played. Like any young goaltender, he’ll have to work on being more consistent. Ferguson was the backup netminder for the Kamloops Blazers and played exceptionally well. The 19-year-old landed on many scouts radars after his sparkling play during the middle of the season when he took over the reigns as the starter.

Next: Did The Vegas Golden Knights Make The Right Call Picking Jason Garrison?

All in all, great deals by McPhee and the front office. The team wanted a clear look at the future even though they’re still a few years away. Now we can finally shift our full focus on whats ahead for the Vegas Golden Knights. And that my friends, is the 2017-2018 regular season that’s just seven days away.

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