Who had Pavel Dorofeyev being traded to the New York Rangers on their bingo card? Not me, nor did many Vegas Golden Knights fans. Yet, it happened, and the Golden Knights *GASP* had a first-round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Yeah, I know. I had to do a double take once I saw the tweet from TSN's Darren Dreger. Yet, here we are.
Anyways, the Golden Knights had one central plan for the draft. That would be to amass as many draft picks as humanly possible. That way, you can get the big guns like Dylan Larkin on board. Sounds like a winning strategy, right?
Well, Dorofeyev was demanding a ton of money and got $11 million per year with the Rangers. That seems like a financial crisis dodged when you consider Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner's big-time deals.
But let's look at what went down with the Golden Knights during this shocking 2026 NHL Draft session. What were the good parts of the draft for Vegas and what absolutely stunk? It's time to dive into the nitty gritty and see what were the brightest lights.
What I liked about the 2026 NHL Draft for the Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights were dry on draft capital throughout the year. If you want further proof of the dry spell, look at the last three drafts, where they had a combined 12 picks. But that all changed when Kelly McCrimmon sent Dorofeyev to the Rangers and started amassing picks.
On top of that, McCrimmon addressed a major concern within the pipeline: defensemen. It's hard to pinpoint a notable name within that sphere, compared to the goaltending (Carl Lindbom and Cameron Whitehead) and the forwards (Trevor Connelly and Braeden Bowman).
But adding Will McLaughlin, Sean Burick, and Juho Piiparinen gives the group extra meat. Do you want two-way play and size? Look no further than Piiparinen. Are you looking for a massive disruptor? Burick's your guy, standing at 6'8".
What I wish could've been different for the Golden Knights
Initially, this was going to be about trading Dorofeyev away. He's 25 years old and added another dimension to the power play. But looking at the seven-year, $11 million AAV deal signed with the Rangers, it's easy to see why that wouldn't work. Would you want another salary north of $10 million on the docket and become the Toronto Maple Leafs?
But the problem here isn't extending Dorofeyev: it's more along the lines of not taking that big swing with the incoming draft capital. You had two first-round draft picks to work with and bring Dylan Larkin or Connor Hellebuyck along. After all, first-round picks are come-and-go with McCrimmon.
Of course, that could change with the trade deadline looming later. But that marks a massive missed opportunity to strike while the iron's hot. The Golden Knights could've angered the NHL universe more and made a big splash. Instead, they don't have a shooter at the moment.
Grading the Golden Knights' 2026 NHL Draft
Believe it or not, this was a surprisingly good draft for the Golden Knights. They addressed the one need in their pipeline and got bigger in the process. Names like Juho Piiparinen and Sean Burick have the potential to fit in well in the lineup, making them long-term fixtures.
Still, you can't deny that McCrimmon sets himself nicely for next season's trade deadline. He's keen on not keeping draft picks or prospects for too long, which will give him the opportunity to reload.
And if he doesn't budge? Well, you got some viable defensemen to work with. That gives McCrimmon plenty of leverage in the future, making the Golden Knights' position even stronger. After all, that's part of the grand plan, right?
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