At the beginning of the season athletic The Las Vegas Golden Knights' prospect collection ranked 23rd out of 32 NHL teams. Since then, the Golden Knights traded top prospect David Edstrom to San Jose in exchange for Tomas Hertl.
TSN draft analyst Craig Button listed his top 50 potential players in February, but the Golden Knights had no players on his list.
The Golden Knights don't have a lot of quality players waiting for their chance. There's a good chance that the player they draft with the 19th pick next month will instantly become their best prospect. This will be the earliest first-round draft pick since taking Peyton Krebs with the 17th overall pick in 2019.
It's a strategy, not a failure. The Golden Knights will trade draft picks and prospects to acquire a player who could help them now. They accept the reality that the pool of prospects is shallow.
Here's Vegas Hockey Now's list of top 5 prospects
1. Left Wing/Right Wing Brendan Brisson (29th overall draft in 2020)
With eight points in 15 games, the 22-year-old Brisson proved he can contribute at the NHL level. He has a 44 point pace. Brisson could earn a spot on the third line when the roster is reshuffled next fall.
The Golden Knights asked Brisson to improve his all-around game this season, and he worked on that for Henderson in the American Hockey League. He's trying to become a more capable forechecker and a smarter defensive forward.
The Las Vegas coaching staff needs Brisson to be ready for next season, as salary cap concerns could thin forward depth.
2. Goalie Karl Lindbom (222nd pick in 2021 draft)
Swedish puck stopper Karl Lindbom, 20, has made more progress than any other Golden Knights prospect this season. It was considered as number one.
This year, Lindbom had a memorable season with Fajestad BK Karlstad, going 17-7-0 with a .911 save percentage in the Swedish Hockey League. He appeared in four games for the Swedish national team, including a 4-0 shutout victory over Finland in an exhibition game last month.
Lindbom was selected in the seventh round, third from the bottom, in the 2021 NHL Draft. Since then, he has made remarkable progress. He needs some AHL seasoning, but there are every signs of him heading to the NHL.
3. Defenseman Lucas Cormier (68th pick in 2020 draft)
If the Golden Knights were to move a veteran defenseman to free up cap space, Cormier could be their first choice. Cormier, 22, has played in 120 games in the American Hockey League.
He is a creative offensive defenseman and competes hard. Cormier is under 6 feet. He needs a coach who trusts his offensive instincts and believes in his all-round play. He'll probably be a No. 4 defenseman or a third-pairing player.
The former Quebec major junior hockey standout can run the power play.
4. Center Matthias Sapovaliv (48th pick in 2022 draft)
At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Matthias Sapovaliv could be the big center every NHL coach wants. The Czech standout player played in the Ontario Hockey League of Saginaw where he scored 62 points in 54 games with the Spirit.
He is already a good all-around player, effective in the faceoff circle, and always keeps his defensive responsibilities in mind.
Sapovaliv is more of a project than a finished product. But he's an interesting person.
5. Forward Matthew Cataford (77th overall draft in 2023)
After scoring 90 points in 65 games with the Halifax Mooseheads this season, Cataford had two assists with the Silver Knights. He can shoot, he can pass, he can fight.
Cataford, 19, isn't expected to develop into a first-line player, but he should be able to be an offensive force at the NHL level. But it will be a while before we see him in Las Vegas.
