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Vegas Golden Knights: An interview with The Athletic’s Jesse Granger

By Andrew Steele-Davis

LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 16: The Vegas Golden Knights stand at attention for the national anthem prior to Game Four of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 16: The Vegas Golden Knights stand at attention for the national anthem prior to Game Four of the Western Conference First Round against the San Jose Sharks during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 29: Vegas Golden Knights Layton Ahac (44) controls the puck during a scrimmage game at the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp Saturday, June 29, 2019, at City National Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 29: Vegas Golden Knights Layton Ahac (44) controls the puck during a scrimmage game at the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp Saturday, June 29, 2019, at City National Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

VGK: Let’s move onto the 2019 NHL Entry Draft now where the Golden Knights significantly bolstered their farm system. You were in attendance at Development Camp, so what prospects, both new and old, stood out to you the most?

JG: “Cody Glass was dominant and he should be at this point because he’s pretty much ready for the NHL and he’s dominated every level, so it was good to see him at the first scrimmage.

“He actually got banged up and didn’t play the rest of the week but we got a limited look at Cody Glass and he was absolutely dominant, so that was good.

“The two kids who stood out to me were two defensemen the Golden Knights took in the draft this year, Kaedan Korczak and Layton Ahac.

“Korczak was really, really good and Layton Ahac was another who really stood out. Those two skate really well, they jump into the play on the offensive side, they were really good in the defensive zone and they are only 18-years-old.

“Usually 18-years-old, especially defensemen, can tend to look lost in the Development Camps and if they aren’t great I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt, they are 18, it is their first camp and they just trying to figure out where they are at.

“But those two were actually impressive at their first camp and I think the Golden Knights have drafted extremely well, especially on the defensive end.

“You look at Nic Hague, you look at Dylan Coghlan who was an undrafted guy and has developed extremely well.

“They’ve got two good defensemen in Kaedan Korczak and Layton Ahac that have a really bright future. Those two both stuck out to me in Development Camp.”

LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 29: Vegas Golden Knights Nicolas Hague (14) controls the puck during a shoot out at the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp Saturday, June 29, 2019, at City National Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JUNE 29: Vegas Golden Knights Nicolas Hague (14) controls the puck during a shoot out at the Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp Saturday, June 29, 2019, at City National Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Marc Sanchez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

VGK: Cody Glass and Nic Hague are two players that appear ready to make the leap to the NHL sooner rather than later, but what are the percentages of those two having some sort of role in the NHL in 2019-20?

JG: “For the defensemen it is a lot more simple because when George McPhee traded Colin Miller to Buffalo, he told us that ‘we now have a spot open and it is up to those rookies.’

“There are pretty much five guys who are going to compete for that one spot in training camp and one of them is going to win, so it is going to be exciting and it is the first time we’ve really had this situation in Vegas where the rookies are going to compete for a spot.

“It is going to come down to Jimmy Schuldt, Zach Whitecloud, Nic Hague, Dylan Coghlan and Jake Bischoff and, after camp and pre-season games, one of those guys will get a spot in the line-up.

“It is exciting knowing for sure that one of them will be in the line-up and it going to be fun to see who comes out of it.

“I think Jimmy Schuldt is probably the leader in the clubhouse. He came from college so late and he did play that last game (of the 2018-19 regular season) against the LA Kings, but we haven’t got to see him on the ice with Nic Hague, Zach Whitecloud, Dylan Coghlan and Jake Bischoff so it is hard to compare.

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“We’ve watched the others in the AHL and it is easier to compare them because they are playing against the same competition, but with Jimmy Schuldt you really can’t.

“I think he’s the best of the bunch but it is going to be interesting to see them all together on the ice in training camp.

“From Cody Glass’ perspective it is a little bit more complicated. He’s good enough to be in the NHL right now.

“I think he’s ready, I think he’s an NHL player and I think he can play well in the NHL but the issue for him is there is just no room on the roster because the Vegas Golden Knights are just so good and deep at center.

“I think it comes down to Cody Eakin and if the Golden Knights decide to move on from Eakin, then Cody Glass is probably the third-line center to start the year.

“I don’t think either of the top two center spots are even a question, it is obviously William Karlsson and Paul Stastny, so Cody Eakin is likely to slot into that third-line center spot and the fourth-line center is probably going to be Tomas Nosek or Nicholas Roy, who they just acquired from Carolina in that Erik Haula trade.

“However, I don’t think they will put Glass as a fourth-line center because I don’t think his style mixes well with guys like William Carrier and Ryan Reaves.

“I think he needs to be on the third line if he plays in the NHL, so it is going to be up to if they move Eakin or if a guy gets hurt. Cody Glass could start the year in the AHL because he’s waiver exempt and it is easier to send him down.

“But if somebody gets hurt, if Paul Stastny or William Karlsson goes down or if Cody Eakin gets something, then you can call him up from the AHL and plug him in and play.

“I do think he’ll get some NHL play this year but it isn’t easy to determine how much and when.”

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