VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks have picked up a pair of collegiate players, signing goalie Jake Kielly and defenceman Brogan Rafferty to entry-level contracts.
The team announced Monday that Kielly has inked a two-year deal, while Rafferty's contract is for one year.
Rafferty joins the Canucks from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn., where he played three seasons.
The 23-year-old native of Dundee, Ill., appeared in 38 games this year, putting up four goals and 20 assists.
Kielly has spent three seasons playing for Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., where he posted a 26-11-2 record, a 1.91 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage this year.
The 22-year-old is currently up for the NCAA's awards for best collegiate hockey player and most outstanding goaltender.
The six-foot-two, 201-pound netminder from Eden Prairie, Minn., also played for the U.S. Hockey League's Tri-City storm in 2015-16, helping the team to the Clark Cup Championship.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning says in a statement that Kielly has had an “outstanding collegiate career” and will add further depth to the team's goaltending.
Vancouver will play its final home game of the season on Tuesday when it hosts the San Jose Sharks.
