The Golden Knights now have six NHL draft picks in their history. Their first draft was the most successful with three first-round picks and two second picks. While Vegas have made first round picks in all but two drafts, they have traded all but one of those picks to bolster their current roster.
For an expansion franchise, Vegas was a massive immediate success, but at the expense of future assets, and as a result, the pool of prospects is one of the weakest in the league.
1. Brendan Brisson, LW/RW – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
Age: 21
Weight / Weight: 6-0 / 185
Drafted: 2020 First Round 29th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
Brisson is a prospect that has been trending for several years now. After a 59-point season in the USHL with the Chicago Steel in 45 games where he won Rookie of the Year honors, he transferred to the NCAA. As a freshman at the University of Michigan, Bryson scored 21 points in 24 games and played for USA at the WJC where he earned the gold medal. Bryson was a regular starter for the Wolverines and an All-Star, scoring 21 goals and 42 points through 38 games. Bryson again represented the United States, this time at the Olympics and scored two goals in four matches.
After the Big Ten Championship, he signed to his ELC with Vegas and played the last seven games of the AHL regular season at Henderson, looking impressive with three goals and eight points. His full-time transition in the AHL was not as smooth as hoped with 18 goals and 37 points in 58 games as a rookie. Brisson is full of skill, and he’s a good mid-sized skater. He just needs time to adjust to the professional level where the pace is faster and the quality of competition is higher.
2. Lukas Cormier, LD – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
Age: 21
Weight / Weight: 5-10 / 176
Drafted: 2020 3rd Round 68th Overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
The former Charlottetown Islander is a very talented defensive tackle. He has a cannon to shoot and empties it every chance he gets.
He posted impressive offensive numbers throughout his QMJHL career including a senior year of 33 goals and 81 points in 62 games (remember he’s a defenseman!). He fell in the third round in his draft as a result of his one-dimensional play being every offense all the time and his defensive game left a lot to be desired. He made improvements there and was named to the 2022 WJC Canada Team and scored five points in seven games claiming the gold medal.
As a junior in the AHL, his offensive game managed ten goals and 35 points in 62 games, but it was a minus-12. Cormier may need more coaching and seasoning in the AHL but there is an NHL bottom six, and power play specialist in this profile.
3. Pavel DorofeevLW/RW – Henderson Silver Knights
Age: 22
Weight / Weight: 6-1 / 176
Drafted: 2019 3rd Round 79th Overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
The Russian winger was somewhat of an enigma as a prospect and player that I struggled to deliver. He played as a full-time player in the KHL as a teenager but had limited output. He showed flashes of his formidable skill at times, such as four points in seven WJC games with Russia in 2020. But after playing in the KHL in 2019-20, he played the next year primarily in the VHL.
Doroviev moved to North America and his rookie year was dominant, scoring 27 goals and 52 points in 63 games at Henderson. His production this year fell to 17 points in 32 AHL games but he made 18 appearances in the NHL with Vegas and scored nine points.
He is a skilful winger and offensive play driver. He is impressive with the puck on his stick, but the questions in his game come in his game off the puck.
4. Daniel MiromanovRD/RW – Henderson Silver Knights
Age: 25
Party / Weight: 6-4 / 203
Drafted: A free agent signed by Vegas in 2021
The Russian free agent gave the Knights great value and versatility. Signed as a free agent in 2021, he had a phenomenal rookie season in the AHL with 11 goals and 40 points in 53 games. His play earned him an 11-game NHL call-up.
Now in his second year in North America, the 25-year-old continues to provide the Knights with reliable depth to split time between the Gold and Silver Knights.
Miromanov has probably developed as far as he’ll go and arguably isn’t really a prospect at this point in his career. I see him continue to split time between the NHL and AHL for another year or two as a versatile player who can fill a gap on defense or offense, play decent minutes and see the time on special teams.
5. Kaidan KorczakRD – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
Age: 22
party / weight: 6-4 / 192
Drafted: 2019 41st Second Round by the Vegas Golden Knights
Korczak checks a lot of boxes for what NHL teams aspire to in their defense these days; He is 6-4, right shot, skates well, and creates transitional offense.
Since his draft, he has continued to progress, earning a spot on Team Canada’s 2021 WJC roster. His rookie season in the AHL was impressive as he seamlessly transitioned into a key role at Henderson. While his offensive stats are disappointing, he effectively relieves defensive pressure by using his size, skate, gap control, and intelligence to eliminate plays and recover pucks. He then moves the puck up on the ice by either skating it, making stretch passes or joining lunges. Korczak may excel as a six-pair defenseman in the NHL, and that’s a very good value.
6. Jacob Brabenick, LW – Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Age: 19
Weight / Weight: 6-2 / 176
Drafted: 2021 Fourth Round 102nd Overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
Brabenec evolves into a fourth-round pick steal. Recruited from the Czech Republic, he had 1 assist in 23 games with limited ice time for HC Kometa. He has since played in the QMJHL and exploded, earning 64 points as a junior with the Islanders, and leading the league as a junior in assists and points. Scored another 19 points in 15 playoff games. Having moved to Phoenix this year, he also played in the 2023 World Golf Championships for the Czech Republic and was a force on a surprise team with a goal and achieved seven points for the silver medal.
Brabenk will be 20 years old at the start of the 2023-24 season and should be assigned to the AHL because he’s signed to his ELC. Brabenec may need a season or two of AHL development but this fourth round pick is quietly a possibility on the rise.
7. Matyas Sapovaliv, C – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Age: 19
Weight / Weight: 6-3 / 183
Drafted: 2022 Second Round 48th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
Another Czech prospect in the cavalry system is Sapovalev. Playing in the OHL on the Saginaw Spirit with “The Extraordinary” Michael Mesa, the Spirit punched out their ticket to the 2024 Memorial Cup as the host city.
Sapovalev is a tough prospect to predict, has size and plays a strong, physical match. He has above-average puck skills at the OHL level, but will need to improve on the draft at the professional level. Perhaps he will continue to evolve and develop into a solid second-line center at the NHL level, or perhaps he will reach the top as a physical fourth-line player with an offensive upside. Either way, he looks like a sleeper prospect in the NHL.
8. Carl Lindbom, G – Djurgardens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Age: 19
Party / Weight: 6-1 / 190
Drafted: 2021 7th Round 222nd Overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
An undersized goalkeeper by today’s standards at just 6-1. Lindbom did well for Sweden at WJC 2023 with a 4-3-0 record and two shutouts. His Allsvenskan play was even more impressive as he was named the best rookie goaltender with a 1.86 GAA, . 930 SV% and a 25-11-0 record with seven shutouts.
The 19-year-old remains unsigned and will likely remain developing in Sweden for another year or two before vying for a position in the Knights’ system. While it is still early in its development, it is headed in the right direction and is a possibility on the rise.
9. Jonas RundbergLW/RW – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
Age: 24
Weight / Weight: 6-2 / 194
Drafted: 2017 Third Round 65th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights
The Danish winger is now in his third season in the AHL and is a veteran in the league. He has size and some offensive upside but has seen his total points per game drop from 0.69 last year to 0.52 this year. The production drop could be attributed to the team’s play as Henderson wasn’t a good team this year, and despite the production drop, he was called up to the NHL for 13 games. This is also down from the previous season where he played in 30 games for the Golden Knights in which he scored six points.
The 24-year-old is a fringe prospect who has taken a step back in his development this year. He’s running out of the runway to become a regular in the NHL and potentially play the balance of the remaining two years on his AHL contract.
10. Daniel Chaika, LD – Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)
The age is 20
Weight / Weight: 6-3 / 181
Drafted: 2021 38th Round of the Vegas Golden Knights Tournament
Chayka is a player who had a lot of momentum as a teenager and was slow to develop. Drafted 7th overall by the Guelph Storm, his trophy status includes the OHL Trophy Championship, the OHL Championship, the Hlinka-Gretzky Gold Medal, and 87 points in 165 career games.
He has size, mobility, skill and has shown flashes of being a collision defensive man. I rated him as an early top half first-round prospect for the 2021 renewal class, his final ranking ranged from 23-77 and he ended up as an early second-round pick.
His rookie year in the AHL was comfortable in his limited role on a poor team. He needs to get a bigger role and to do that he has to play more aggressively, both physically and offensively. Chayka remains a long-term project with a medium elevation.