Three stars for the Vegas Golden Knights at the Rookie Faceoff

The Vegas Golden Knights swept the Rookie Faceoff, indicating a bright future's ahead. But who stole the show for the Golden Knights?

Czech Republic v Switzerland: Quarterfinals - 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship
Czech Republic v Switzerland: Quarterfinals - 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship | Minas Panagiotakis/GettyImages
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Jakub Brabenec

It's been mentioned how Jakub Brabenec needed an excellent tournament showing to garner consideration for a future roster position. He was falling to the wayside and not getting further up in the farm system rankings. The Czech forward didn't want to become trade bait or worse... A lifetime AHL player for a hockey team.

However, he's one step closer to not having this happen. He scored two goals during the tournament, making himself a key factor in two wins. First, it was a one-timer set-up that opened the scoring against the Los Angeles Kings. Next, it was part of an early barrage that put the game out of reach against the Seattle Kraken.

Fans might've forgotten who Brabenec was before the tournament happened. He wasn't as beloved of a figure in the prospect scene as Carl Lindbom or Mathieu Cataford. However, a resounding performance changed everything, which happened with Brabenec after the prospect challenge in El Segundo. Now, fans will pay attention to what the young star can do for Vegas.

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