The St. Louis Blues signed left-wing prospect Hugh McGing to a two-year entry-level contract. Financial terms have not been disclosed at this time. This contract carries him through the 2021-22 NHL season.
The Blues have signed 2018 draft pick Hugh McGing to a two-year entry-level contract. https://t.co/ENCdzBb8HI #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 20, 2020
Hugh McGing Signs with the St. Louis Blues
McGing has spent his past four seasons playing college puck with Western Michigan University, serving as an assistant captain for the past two seasons. He put up 46 goals and 71 assists for 117 points in 147 games. He was originally drafted by the Blues in the fifth round, 138th overall of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Last season at Western Michigan, he scored 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 35 games. He also added 52 minutes in penalties.
What This Means for the Future
Don’t expect that McGing will suit up for the big league team throughout his entry-level contract, there’s certainly a decent chance that he becomes an NHL regular for the Blues down the road. He’s put up quite good offensive numbers at the college level, but his diminutive size held him back in scouting reports. He’s shown that it hasn’t been an issue, as his willingness to get towards the front of the net in combination with his puck handling has made him a star at Western Michigan.
McGing projects to slot into a scoring third-line role at his peak, and considering the young man is only 21, he’s got five or six years before he hits that. The winger won’t make any waves on this Blues team immediately, but if they keep the band together and stay in contention, he’ll serve as a nice depth piece on another long playoff run. If anything, his success will only continue to demonstrate the ability for undersized players to make it to the NHL.
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