Piip Piip Paraaaaay! Or something like that. Anyways, the Vegas Golden Knights signed their 2026 first-round NHL Draft pick Juho Piiparinen to a three-year, entry-level contract on Wednesday.
PIIP PIIP, HOORAY! 🥳
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 15, 2026
The Golden Knights have signed 2026 first-round draft pick defenseman Juho Piiparinen to a three-year, entry-level contract. https://t.co/nOlkHufLPC
The 17-year-old played his 2025-26 season in Finland's premier league, Liiga, scoring three assists for Tappara in 29 games. He also played for their U20 squad, adding 13 points (one goal and 12 assists) with a +9 rating. Additionally, he represented Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championship, adding an assist in six games.
The Golden Knights completed a drastic overhaul of their draft picks, trading Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers for two first-round picks (one used on Piiparinen) and an additional pick. They also made plenty of future salary cap space with this move (and others), clearing the way for a bigger move.
Historically, former first-round draft picks in Piiparinen's shoes have gone out the door in trades. Names like Zach Dean, David Edstrom, and Brendan Brisson were used to bring in bigger names, putting Vegas further up the Stanley Cup contender hierarchy. Could that be the case for the Finnish defenseman? Stay tuned.
As for now, Piiparinen should enjoy the ride. He has the potential to break that stereotype and make himself a worthwhile name in the Golden Knights' realm. Who knows? His puck-moving abilities and two-way game could translate into a Golden Knights career for good.
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