The 2019 NHL Entry Draft is rapidly approaching and the Vegas Golden Knights now know exactly where they will be picking in the first round.
Friday, 21 June will see the entire NHL descend on Vancouver and Vegas Golden Knights fans will be eagerly waiting to see which young stud their team opts to select.
The Knights have one pick in the first round in addition to a second round selection and three third round picks with which they can significantly bolster their farm system.
But all eyes will be on Vegas’ first round selection which has now been confirmed as the 17th overall pick following the Colorado Avalanche’s Game 7 defeat to the San Jose Sharks – the Knights would have had the No. 16 pick overall if the Avs had progressed through to the Western Conference Final.
The chances are high that the Golden Knights can walk away from the first round with a significant prospect who can boast a high ceiling when it comes to potential and ability. The franchise will be hoping that’s the case anyway.
Vegas already has a farm system loaded with talent and that pool includes the likes of Cody Glass, Jimmy Schuldt, Nic Hague and Zach Whitecloud who are all primed and ready to compete for a roster spot in training camp.
Already pressed right up against the salary cap and with a few players set to leave either through free agency or via the trade market, the Golden Knights would love nothing more than to be able to select a stud at No.17 who can come in and make an immediate impact in the NHL.
There will be speculation aplenty between now and June, 21 when it comes to who the Vegas Golden Knights could take in the first round, and we will be taking a deeper look at the prospects available in the draft over the coming weeks.
For now, it is interesting to note that some Mock Drafts have the Knights selecting Ryan Suzuki with the No.17 pick. Suzuki is a name that will be familiar to Vegas fans with Ryan’s older brother, Nick taken 13th overall by the franchise in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Ryan is a versatile forward who is known for his silky hands and ability to produce highlight-reel plays. He’s a dangerous playmaker with superb stick-handling skills and he knows how to get to the high-danger areas with a sublime dish.
Other Mock Drafts, however, have the Golden Knights selecting Mississauga Steelheads defenseman Thomas Harley with the No.17 pick.
Harley is an offensive defenseman and would certainly add to the wealth of young talent Vegas already possesses on the blueline, with their farm system full of stud blueliners who are ready to make the leap to the NHL.
Able to mix size (6’3″) and grit with speed and skill, Harley will be able to transition into the offensive zone both quickly and efficiently, and he’s been marked down for his thunderous slapshot which would make him an ideal candidate to quarterback one of the power play units.
Harley can add offensive production as well as being able to excel in the defensive zone with his sheer size, which would put him on the road to evolving into a potential NHL top-4 blueliner.
A lot can change in just a few weeks and it will be interesting to monitor both Suzuki and Harley in addition to other prospects that the Vegas Golden Knights may well be keeping tabs on.