Undrafted forward get NHL deal after 4 hard seasons in the AHL.

While fans and pundits alike speculate about superstar trade deals one young forward likely feels like he's just made the deal of a lifetime.

On Wednesday the Islanders announced what is by all accounts a relatively minor signing, giving 26-year-old American Hockey League forward Connor Jones a two-way National Hockey League deal good until the end of the 2016-2017 season.

Jones has spent the last three seasons grinding in the AHL and the one prior to that split between the AHL and ECHL, and his hard work has finally paid off. While Jones hasn't put up spectacular numbers, his 5 goals and 12 assists and a plus minus rating of +10 over 47 games has quietly garnered the attention of the Islanders.

Jones will almost certainly be used in a depth role but despite that this deal probably feels especially sweet for him as twin brother Kellen Jones was drafted by the Oilers in 2010 while he was looked over. His twin brother has yet to play in a game at the NHL level.

[pub]