Undoubtedly, Connor and Kellen Jones would rather be in Philadelphia playing in the Frozen Four NCAA championship tournament this week.
Instead, the Montrose twins and Quinnipiac Bobcat seniors flew south, after signing amateur contracts with the Edmonton Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Oklahoma City Barons.
The Barons are in the West Division of the AHL, and play their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Okla. The team is in the midst of tight playoff race, and currently sit in third in their division and seventh in the Conference where the top eight advance to the Calder Cup playoffs.
The twins helped Oklahoma to a pair of wins, 1-0 and 6-4, against Charlotte last weekend, and will lace them up for the remaining five games of the season.
According to the Barons’ website, the Joneses have also signed AHL standard player contracts for the 2014-15 season.
Kellen was selected in the seventh round (202nd overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
He appeared in 40 games as a senior, scoring 42 points with 18 goals and 24 assists. He had a plus-12 rating and became the 21st player in Quinnipiac’s Division I history to reach the 100-point mark, after finishing his career with 54 goals and 71 assists for a total of 125 points in 157 games played.
Connor appeared in 40 games as a senior and had 38 points with 15 goals and 23 assists. He also posted a +15 plus-minus rating.
He became the 20th player in Quinnipiac’s Division I history to reach the 100-point mark, and 34th all-time, after finishing his career with 49 goals and 80 assists for a total of 129 points in 156 games played.
The brothers were each nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as seniors. They were named the team’s Co-Most Valuable Players as sophomores.