A promising Golden Knights prospect is ready to elevate the Tahoe Knight Monsters

Last season was supposed to be the "Rule of Three." With the Vegas Golden Knights making the Stanley Cup Final in their first season and the Henderson Silver Knights making the Calder Cup Final in their first season in Nevada, it was the Tahoe Knight Monsters' turn.

Unfortunately, the Kansas City Mavericks had other plans. They eliminated the Knight Monsters and sent them home early. No "Rule of Three" here.

Oh well. At least the Knight Monsters re-signed a guy for the upcoming season. He's a defenseman and his name's Brennan Kapcheck.

Now, Kapcheck had 29 assists in 64 games with Tahoe last season, giving them more offensive depth. He also spent time with the Newfoundland Growlers, scoring seven goals and 52 assists in three seasons.

He even played with the Toronto Marlies for two seasons. Unfortunately, he didn't spend much time with the Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate, only playing eight games and getting two assists. Thus, he was relegated to ECHL play.

With Kapcheck coming back for the 2025-26 season, he has a defined role with the Knight Monsters. What are the defenseman's expectations for the upcoming season? What must he do to ensure Tahoe gets over the hump?

Checking out Brennan Kapcheck's profile with the Knight Monsters

The biggest detriment to Kapcheck's game is his size. He stands at 5'9" and weighs 161 lbs., making him a nuisance defensively. It limits what he can do on the blue line, ranging from hitting people to wearing down opponents.

It's a similar problem Jonathan Marchessault faced during his Golden Knights tenure. As he got older, his defensive skills deteriorated, leaving him solely as a sniper. That parallel is why the defenseman isn't making the NHL anytime soon.

However, the 28-year-old does have a defined role on his ECHL club. He does a great job running in the attack and distributing. He's perfect on the rush and can set up solid scoring opportunities and rebounds.

Kapcheck also has international experience, playing 10 games with Slovakia in 2023-24 (HKM Zvolen). He might've gotten only one assist in that span. But that big-game experience will help the Knight Monsters if they return to the Kelly Cup playoffs.

Overall, the defenseman will bring an offensive bite to the ECHL club. Winning it all in 2025-26 starts with getting everyone on board with the two-way philosophy. This mindset ranges from the Golden Knights to the Knight Monsters themselves. Kapcheck hopes that style will win them a title and shock the world.

Who needs the "Rule of Three" when you can come back stronger?