Looking ahead to the NHL Draft
The NHL Draft is happening on June 28 and 29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. It marks the first time the NHL's held an event at the venue and the first time the draft's been held in Sin City. It's part of a growing effort to expand the league's footprint in the growing city, with the 2022 All-Star Game being another example.
The Vegas Golden Knights will have the 19th overall pick and three later-round picks. They have a sixth-round pick and two seventh-round picks, rounding out their total to four overall. The lack of draft capital comes from ambitious moves at the trade deadline, where players like Tomas Hertl and Anthony Mantha.
With five forwards becoming free agents this summer, the big need in the NHL Draft will be acquiring more offensive talent. Names like Trevor Connelly and Liam Greentree have been thrown around and they can bolster the team's output. While having four picks in the draft will limit getting more young talent, Vegas is in win-now mode. Therefore, the Golden Knights must nail them. Getting forwards who'll fit into Bruce Cassidy's system and battle for every puck will benefit greatly.