The Vegas Golden Knights have become a peculiar place for first-round draft picks during their franchise history. No, it's not weird things happening to them. More like ominous happenings as the Golden Knights have seen certain picks go by the wayside. Names that aren't Trevor Connelly, you know.
Think of Brendan Brisson before he got traded to the New York Rangers. You can also chalk up Cody Glass before he was dealt, along with names like David Edstrom, Erik Brannstrom, and Zach Dean. Eventually, all of these names were dealt to other teams to build the current roster, which eventually made them into Stanley Cup contenders.
But Connelly? He looks like a different breed. After a strong season with the Henderson Silver Knights, the Golden Knights winger has drawn rave reviews from the media and fans alike.
Observations from a 4-2 loss to the Sharks.
— Ryan The Hockey Guy (@RyanHockeyGuy) September 27, 2026
- I believe Trevor Connelly will be on the opening night roster. His confidence with the puck is noticeable. Tonight, I thought he was great on the power play and drove play into the middle of the ice consistently.
- I still believe…
Yes, he might've not registered a single point during the preseason. But does that matter when he's taking an aggressive approach to attacking the net? Does it matter when he registers two to three shots per game? That's the big thing that makes him stand out amongst Golden Knights fans. They've never seen a first-round pick that plays with so much swagger like Connelly.
But will this be another case of Connelly being yet another first-round draft bust or will the narrative change with the 20-year-old? Believe it or not, this could be a vastly different case from the Golden Knights' past failures. Here's why that's the case.
Looking back at the past Vegas Golden Knights first-round picks that failed
Names such as Brannstrom, Edstrom, and Dean didn't stand a chance within the Golden Knights' organization. They barely got a look from the team before being offloaded for better talent (think of Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev). But one name that Vegas actually took a chance on was Brendan Brisson.
The former first-round pick actually played 15 games in 2023-24 with the Golden Knights, scoring two goals and six assists. He scored 19 goals and 19 assists each with the Silver Knights to boot in that same year. Vegas saw potential in the 24-year-old and thought that he could fill a void with outgoing players in their contract years.
So what's a team to do with a budding first-round pick? Well, you give him a shot in the lineup, where he'll score... no goals and assists in nine games. As a result, he was part of the Reilly Smith trade that brought the Original Misfit home.
One thing that stood out about Brisson was that he lacked confidence. The forward would make mental errors that would cost Vegas in many facets, whether it was turnovers or penalties.
How Trevor Connelly differs from Brendan Brisson
If you watch Brisson during his 2024-25 preseason campaign with the Golden Knights, he lacks the on-ice confidence that Connelly has. He doesn't know what to do with the puck and struggles to take the initiative. That explains how he was so deficient with the Golden Knights during his residency.
Compare that to Connelly, who plays like he's a veteran. The native of Tustin, California fits into the offense well and can manuever up and down the ice without any problems. Add his attack and shooting prowess and you have a vast improvement over Brisson.
It's easy to see why Connelly is the apple of the Golden Knights' eye. After seeing countless former first-round picks fail within the Realm, it's refreshing to see the Providence College alumnus handle his added duties with minimal problems. Not only will this help the Golden Knights for this season, but it'll help them beyond.
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