The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Mike Vecchione to an entry-level contract.

Ron Hextall said Vecchione would play for the team this season, but added the 24-year-old's NHL debut probably wouldn't come Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

"We're excited about it," Hextall said. "We identified a couple of guys, college free agents, and Mike was one of them. Thankfully we got him."

Vecchione had 29 goals and 34 assists in 38 games for Union College and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top player. His 63 points were tied for the most in the country.

Vecchione was one of the top college free agents available, ultimately picking the Flyers over the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The NHL's expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, has added the first player to their roster, signing 21-year-old free agent Reid Duke to an entry-level contract.

Duke is no stranger to Golden Knights assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon, given that Duke has played for the past three seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL -- a team long coached and managed by McCrimmon before he left last offseason to join the Golden Knights in Las Vegas.