A pair of Manitobans are poised to enter the National Hockey League.
Ben McCartney of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Trent Miner of the Vancouver Giants both signed their first NHL contracts on Thursday.
The Arizona Coyotes announced McCartney, a product of Macdonald, signed a three-year entry-level deal with the club.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
The 19-year-old left-winger was the Coyotes seventh-round draft pick (204th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft.
“We are very pleased to sign Ben to an entry-level contract,” said Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong in a media release.
“Ben had a great junior career and played well for the Roadrunners last season. We look forward to watching him continue to develop next year in Tucson.”
McCartney finished second in scoring in the entire Western Hockey League last season and led the Wheaties with 37 points, including 13 goals and 24 assists in only 24 games.
He played with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL after the conclusion of the WHL season and notched one goal and four assists in just four games.
Miner of Souris also landed his first NHL contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
The 20-year-old Miner also signed a three-year entry level agreement after playing for the Giants and the AHL’s Colorado Eagles last season.
The Avs selected Miner in the seventh round (202nd overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft.