Remember when the Vegas Golden Knights traded Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals this past summer? The collateral were two third-round draft picks, one in the 2024 NHL Draft and the other in next year's NHL Draft. The draft pick from this year's session came in the form of Belarusian goaltender, Pavel Moisevich. Sounds interesting, right?
The 20-year-old recently received some noteworthy honors in the KHL. What did he do with his current club, SKA Saint Petersburg?
Pavel Moisevich is the #KHL rookie of the week! 🔝
— SKA Ice Hockey Club (@hcSKA_News) November 25, 2024
Our 20-year-old goalkeeper recorded two wins from two matches, a 94.37% save percentage and a GAA of 2.00.
Well deserved! 👏#hcSKA pic.twitter.com/jyatzkYC3z
The 83rd-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft made waves this past week. He won two games with a save percentage of .943 and a GAA of 2.00 in those two games. Overall, he's had a strong 2024-25 campaign with SKA Saint Petersburg, with a save percentage of .933 and a GAA of 2.22.
He's been incredible for the KHL club, leading them to second place in the Bobrov Division (18-12, 39 points). While Moisevich is leading his Russian hockey club to a productive season, that bodes well for the Golden Knights and their future plans.
What will it mean for their future plans? Will we see Moisevich starting in net in the future? The Golden Knights have a good problem on their hands for their netminding plans. It could give them one of the best goaltender tandems in the league future-wise.
What Pavel Moisevich's performance means for his future with the Vegas Golden Knights
The obvious take is the recent accolades will boost Pavel Moisevich's standing within the Vegas Golden Knights organization. The front office will pay attention to the netminder's achievements, elevating him up the positional hierarchy.
In simpler terms, he's trending upwards. There's nothing more satisfying than getting noticed for your hard work and accomplishments. That's especially true when you're a 20-year-old prospect for the Golden Knights, looking to impact the NHL roster.
But it also makes the prospect pool for goalies much more interesting. The Golden Knights already have prospects such as Akira Schmid (3.19 GAA, .897 save percentage), Carl Lindbom (3.50 GAA, .911 save percentage), and Jesper Vikman (1.95 GAA, .930 save percentage in four games with the Tahoe Knight Monsters).
Imagine how stuffed the goaltender room will be for the Golden Knights in the future. As mentioned, it's a good problem for Kelly McCrimmon to have, whether it's trading for an NHL superstar or creating a formidable netminding tandem. The power is in the general manager's hands, creating an enviable position.
Moisevich gives McCrimmon another option in net
Plus, the Golden Knights can choose which goaltending style they want. Are they looking for a more athletic style, i.e. Lindbom? Perhaps they seek a traditional big body who's intelligent and makes the right moves. Whatever the case, it gives more power to what McCrimmon wants to do with the position. It's good to be the king.
The most recent achievement for the Belarusian netminder is great for the Godlen Knights development-wise. It gives the front office numerous options for where they want to go with the position. Moisevich could be the team's future goaltender, giving his team more positional depth.
Sure, Thompson is thriving with the Washington Capitals (2.58 GAA, .914 save percentage). How the summer trade looks in the future remains to be seen. However, fans can take solace in knowing they have a viable replacement on deck. Sometimes, problems can be good, specifically if you're seeking a future starter.