Wheat Kings Duke, Clague Sign NHL Deals

Courtesy: Vegas Golden Knights

VEGAS – March 6, 2017 – Vegas Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee announced today, March 6, that the team has signed free agent forward Reid Duke from the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League to a three-year entry level contract. This marks the first player transaction in Vegas Golden Knights history.

Duke will finish his Western Hockey League season with the Wheat Kings and is expected to join the Golden Knights for their inaugural Development Camp this summer (details and timings of the Golden Knights inaugural Development Camp will be announced at a later date).

Because both individuals are currently out of market, McPhee and Duke are expected to be available to media via conference call on Monday, March 6 (McPhee is at the NHL GM Meetings in Boca Raton, Florida while Duke is with his club in Brandon, Manitoba). The timing of the call is tentatively set for 4:00 p.m. PT on Monday and will be confirmed in a follow up media advisory. Details of the conference call will be included in that follow up advisory. Please note this call is subject to change.

During his current season with Brandon, the 21-year-old Duke has tallied 35 goals and 32 assists for 67 points and 69 penalty minutes. The 35 goals and 67 points lead all Wheat Kings players. This year marks his second career 30-goal season, as he notched 33 goals to go along with 29 assists during the 2015-16 season with Brandon.

Duke has played five seasons in the WHL with Brandon and the Lethbridge Hurricanes registering 112 goals and 135 assists for 247 points and 317 penalty minutes in 304 games.

The 6’0’’, 190-pound native of Calgary, Alberta was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round (169^th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

KALE CLAGUE SIGNS WITH LOS ANGELES KINGS

(Courtesy of LA Kings) The LA Kings have signed defenseman Kale Clague to a three-year entry-level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

The 18-year-old Clague (born June 5, 1998) is a 5-11, 181-pound native of Regina, Saskatchewan who has appeared in 45 games this season with the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL), posting 38 points (5-33=38) and 39 penalty minutes. He currently leads team-defenseman in points and assists, and ranks second in goals. He also has two shorthanded goals, tied for most among defensemen in the WHL.

A second-round (51st overall) selection of the Kings at the 2016 NHL Draft, Clague has appeared in 138 games over four seasons with Brandon, recording 94 points (15-79=94), a plus-18 rating and 99 penalty minutes. During the 2016 WHL Playoffs he helped lead the Wheat Kings to the Championship, posting 14 points (6-8=14), a plus-5 rating and eight penalty minutes. Brandon currently leads the Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference with seven games left in the regular-season