s24 - Golden Knights prospect report [WB2]

Vegas, NV - The start of a new VHL regular season means a new crop of prospects for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Three of them to be exact. Forwards Andrew Copp, Valeri Nichushkin, and Ryan Pulock all via the season 24 Entry Draft.

The trio project as the best in the Golden Knights system currently, albeit they turned first rounders Dougie Hamilton, Colton Parayko, and Josh Anderson pro quickly. They’d all be in the CHL still and the two defenceman, Hamilton and Parayko will be the best of the whole group.

But now back to the three Vegas scooped in the draft. 

Copp was taken with the 23rd overall selection right at the end of the first round.

“I was thinking of taking Nichushkin with the puck but after taking with a fellow GM in the league, he talked me into Copp,” Vegas General Manager David Zammit said.

Which paid off well because with the 31st overall pick, Vegas landed Valeri.

I’d project both pretty similarly. Both should have a bit of physicality to them and some offensive production too. I could see them as middle to bottom six NHLers at peak.

Now for the steal in my opinion, Pulock. He’s a top pairing or at worst top four guy in real life and to nab him at 40th overall is great value.

“If you factor him in with Petro, Hamilton, Parayko, we could be set on defence for a long time,” Zammit said.

Now the remaining five that have belonged to the team for a few years now.

Forward Alex Kerfoot would be the best of them. He’s at peak a bottom six NHLer with a bit of offence. He’s eligible to stay in the CHL for this season and next but I’d expect we see him with Owen Sound next year. 

The other four are in their last year of CHL eligibility so they’ll all make the jump to the AHL next year. And they’re probably all career AHLers too. Markus Granlund would be the best of them. Colin Blackwell next. Then defenceman Frankie Corrado, and finally forward Matt Puempel.

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