Kings prospects Zielinski, Vandenberg prepare to don the black, silver and white......as freshmen at Providence

As a part of our prospects coverage this season on LA Kings Insider, please welcome Jon Paul Morosi to the Insider family! Morosi will provide first-person coverage of several LA Kings prospects, centering around coverage from the World Juniors Summer Showcase and the World Junior Championships.

On Friday night, Thomas Vandenberg and Blake Zielinski will don uniforms of black, silver, and white for a landmark game in their hockey careers. 

No, the forwards are not playing (yet) for the Los Angeles Kings, although the organization holds their rights after selecting them in the 2026 NHL Draft. Instead, Vandenberg and Zielinski will be about 3,000 miles east of Crypto.com Arena, skating in their NCAA debuts for Providence College against St. Lawrence University. 

Despite nearly identical uniform designs, this weekend is more than a dress rehearsal for the NHL. Providence provides both the classic college hockey experience and player-specific professional development, at a program that won a national championship in 2015. 

“We’ve put a lot of guys to the next level, and we’ve put every type of player to the next level,” said Nate Leaman, who is in his 16th season as the Friars head coach. “We’ve had skill guys. We’ve had 200-foot forwards. We’ve put every type of defenseman into [pro hockey], from the 5-9 defenseman to the 6-7 defenseman, the offensive-minded and defensive-minded players. I think we’re doing a good job of helping guys get to the next level, while also focusing on winning hockey here.”

Vandenberg and Zielinski took different routes to the same campus, where they are roommates with Jack Laferriere, a freshman defenseman and the younger brother of Kings winger Alex Laferriere. Because they were selected in such close proximity — Zielinski in the third round, Vandenberg the fourth — they arrived simultaneously to the Kings suite after receiving their newly minted NHL sweaters. 

“I remember going up to meet all of the development guys who were there, and people in the organization, and he was in the room, too,” Vandenberg recalled. “It was kind of a funny moment for both of us, knowing we were going to play together [at Providence]......It’s a good feeling that we’re in this together, being teammates now and hopefully teammates in the future, as well.”

Of course, there is some good-natured banter between them about their respective national teams. 

Zielinski led Team USA in scoring at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where the Americans won their first gold medal at the event in 22 years. Vandenberg made his IIHF debut at the U-18 World Championships in the spring and scored on his first shift of Canada’s second game. 

“We talk about it a ton,” Zielinski said, smiling. “It’s always a battle between the Canadians and the U.S. guys. Another one of our roommates, Ryder Cali, is a Canadian, so we’re always going back and forth. They kind of team up on me a little bit, but it’s good to hold that Hlinka tournament over both of them. It’s pretty funny.”

Vandenberg grew up in Nepean, ONT, where his older brother, Ian, was a goaltender in the Nepean Raiders youth hockey program. Thomas, four years younger, chose to become a center. 

“Having different positions makes it a lot easier, in terms of helping each other develop,” said Ian, now a sophomore goaltender at SUNY Geneseo in Western New York. “I don’t know how it is with other siblings, but if you’re both playing the same position, there can be a competitive factor between the two of you. For us, there was compete and drive for all the right reasons. We were making each other better."

Their age gap of a few years, along with the contrasting positions has helped the brothers help each other. Certainly a benefit to the sibling relationship. 

“When you’re four years ahead, and he wants tips on how to score goals, you say, ‘I can help you out’  and with the stuff he’s learned as a shooter, he can help me, too, especially over the last few years as he’s started reaching the pro level," Ian added. "Growing up, we were always on the outdoor rinks together, practicing shots. We’ve had a decade of support and compete with each other.”

Thomas knew he wanted to follow Ian into U.S. college hockey. 

Initially, that meant spending the 2024-2025 season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL. Mark Carlson, the RoughRiders president, general manager, and head coach, said Vandenberg developed into one of the team’s top forwards by the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. Vandenberg’s attitude and adaptability earned Carlson’s trust to play in all situations.  

“The USHL really improved my defensive side — the shutdown role, penalty killing,” Vandenberg said. “Near the end of the year, I improved my offensive side, too, bringing on more of a two-way role. Being a 16-year-old in that league is pretty hard [with] the fast pace and physicality. I just brought that with me to the OHL.” 

Vandenberg followed a similar path with the Ottawa 67’s last season, after the NCAA rule change regarding Canadian Hockey League player eligibility. Thomas welcomed the chance to live at home with his parents, Patrick and Carolin, while playing in front of friends and family every night in the OHL. 

Ottawa general manager Jan Egert describes Vandenberg as the type of player who never backs down from a challenge and is eager to prove skeptics wrong. Vandenberg had set a goal of scoring 25 goals as an OHL rookie. He achieved it in Ottawa’s final regular season game, on home ice. Initially, there was some question as to whether Vandenberg would enter Providence this season or take time to add size and strength by playing another year in Ottawa. But he proved to Leaman that he was ready to play center in Hockey East as an 18-year-old.

“He did well on face-offs in our exhibition game [last weekend], and he was really good at transporting the puck,” Leaman said. “He has the speed and hockey IQ that you want to see. That’s really come out in practice. His D-zone play has been good. He’s a 200-foot player.”

It’s easy to envision Vandenberg and Zielinski as linemates during their Providence careers — and possibly beyond. 

Both attended the Kings’ summer development camp, after being selected 23 picks apart. Vandenberg has played center since he was six years old. Zielinski has experience at the pivot but projects to play right wing for the Friars, thanks to his physicality and strong play along the wall. 
 
“He has a great stick,” Leaman said of Zielinski. “He has really good vision of the ice and can find plays. He’s able to make plays in tight areas. I think he’s going to be a really good offensive zone player. The thing about him is you want the puck on his stick. That’s a pretty good thing to say about a player.”

Some of Zielinski’s stick skills can be attributed to learning from his older siblings, Grant and Kylie. Grant played ball hockey as a kid, while Kylie starred as a midfielder and defender for Uprise Field Hockey Club and Eastern Regional High School, near the family’s hometown of Berlin, N.J.

The hand-eye coordination required to play field hockey has translated to Blake’s on-ice play.   

“Kylie really taught me a lot,” Blake said. “They can’t use the other side of their stick in field hockey, which is different, so she brought me out to the field and taught me. That helped with my hands. My brother played street hockey and golf. That competitiveness we had against each other, that’s where you learn. Even to this day, we still compete, whether it’s on the Xbox or when we go out in the summer and play golf. It’s always a fun time.”

Blake was 15 when he left home to move in with a billet family and play for the North Jersey Avalanche, first at the 15U level and eventually one age group up.

Because the Zielinski family is so close-knit, the decision wasn’t easy for Blake and his parents, Joe and Julie.

“They were so supportive of me,” he said. “I think that was one of the main things that led to my decision to leave and continue to follow my dream. Even my siblings were so supportive. They really understand what it takes. Having that support makes the difference.”

In April, the Zielinski's received further validation that their sacrifices have been worthwhile: Following his second season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL, Blake was named the second recipient of The Gaudreau Award, presented to the USHL player “who best exhibits excellence in hockey, spirit of the game, and care and responsibility.” 

The award was especially meaningful for Blake, who had met the Gaudreau family through the South Jersey hockey community over the years. In fact, Guy Gaudreau, the father of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, reached out to Joe with advice about the USHL path after Blake (like Johnny before him) was not named to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program roster.

“Everyone looked up to them, wanted to be [like] them,” Blake said of Johnny and Matthew. “At a young age, they were such a good inspiration. I knew the award was around. It was definitely in the back of my mind......It was really special to connect with the Gaudreaus one more time. It’s so special. It’s one of the greatest things I’ve ever won. It’s more than hockey at that point.” 

Zielinski and Vandenberg begin their collegiate careers this weekend, with a pair of games on home ice. Providence hosts St. Lawrence tonight and Clarkson tomorrow in a pair of non-conference contests. Both games are set to begin at 4 PM Pacific and will be broadcast on ESPN+.