Friday will be a paramount day for the Vegas Golden Knights. They're the host team for the 2024 NHL Draft, which is being held at the Sphere. The action starts at 4 PM PST and will last two days. First-round picks will be announced on the first day, while the rest of the field will be selected the day after.
The Golden Knights don't have a rich tapestry of franchise players selected in the draft. Other than solid role players like Nicolas Hague, the franchise had made their living off the trading market, sending these prospects away. That's led to franchise players like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel, who've led the team to their first Stanley Cup.
This year offers a new opportunity to establish a franchise-altering player for the better. With plenty of good wingers to choose from, Vegas will have a chance to bolster their prospect depth and set themselves up for future success. Although they have four picks this season, it's just as important to nail the draft this year.
Let's explore how many draft picks the Vegas Golden Knights have had overall. Certainly, that number would be low since they love trading their prospects, right? The number might surprise you. The team had some ammo to work with during their seven-year run. Here's how many overall draft picks Vegas has had historically in the NHL Draft.
The Vegas Golden Knights have had 50 overall draft picks historically
As of 2023, the Vegas Golden Knights have made 50 entry-level selections historically. That includes seven first-round NHL Draft picks and names such as defenseman Nicolas Hague (second-round pick in the 2017 draft, 34th overall). While the list doesn't have too many notable names, there's plenty of depth on this list.
Cody Glass was the first-ever entry-level draft pick selected by the Golden Knights, picked sixth overall in the 2017 draft. He was eventually traded in 2021 to the Nashville Predators, ending his tenure with Vegas. Will that be the same case with this year's 19th overall pick? Stay tuned, for Kelly McCrimmon's known to pull a rabbit or two out of a hat (see Noah Hanifin at this year's trade deadline).
While the Vegas Golden Knights aren't known for building teams through the NHL Draft, this year offers the chance to find a key piece to the puzzle. The first round has plenty of good offensive talent, with many prospects floating around the 19th overall pick. All fans know is this weekend will be a fun hockey week for Las Vegas residents and hockey aficionados alike.