Kings sign two prospects to three-year entry level contracts

Press Release

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Linden Vey and goaltender Jean-Francois Berube to three-year entry level contracts, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

Vey, 19, was selected by the Kings in fourth round (96th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He has played the past four full seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and this past season he recorded 116 points (46-70=116) and 36 penalty minutes in 69 regular season games. His 116 points led the WHL and was tops in the entire CHL (Canadian Hockey League), which consists of the WHL, Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League). Vey’s 46 goals were tied for third in the WHL, while his 70 assists were second in the league. He also had five short-handed goals (tied for fourth in the WHL) and a plus-37 ranking.

Vey recorded 25 points (12-13=25) and eight penalty minutes in 15 playoff games, helping Medicine Hat advance to the WHL’s Eastern Conference Finals. His 25 points was eighth in the WHL, while his 12 goals ranked fourth and 13 assists was tied for eighth. Vey was awarded the Bob Clarke Trophy for being the WHL’s regular season leading scorer and was also named a WHL Eastern Conference First-Team All-Star.

Last season, the 5-10, 166-pound native of Wakaw, Saskatchewan, ranked first on Medicine Hat with 75 points and 51 assists, while ranking tied for third with 24 goals.

Berube, 19, was selected by the Kings in the fourth-round (95th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He has played the past three seasons with the Montreal Juniors of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where this past season in 50 regular season games he went 32-7-8 with three shutouts, a 2.60 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .902 save percentage. Among QMJHL netminders, Berube ranked fourth in GAA, second in wins, sixth in winning percentage and tied for fifth in shutouts as he helped lead his club to the playoffs.

A 6-1, 168-pounder, Berube was born in Repentigny, Quebec. He also played in three games with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2009-10 season as he posted a 2-1-0 record.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)