Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. As we go through the summer of 2023, each day our LWOS Prospects Writers will bring you a look at one NHL team’s top prospects or other topical article. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr, Kyle Pereira and Frederik Frandson on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! You can find all the articles here as well as our extensive NHL Draft preview. Today, we look at the 2023 Vegas Golden Knights Top Prospects.
For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played (including playoff games) or is 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and we may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
2023 Vegas Golden Knights Top Prospects
1) Pavel Dorofeyev
Pavel Dorofeyev, who was drafted in the third round (79th overall) in the 2019 NHL draft, is looking towards a bigger NHL role this season. Over the last two seasons, he has seen some NHL time. In 2021-22, he saw two NHL games. Then, last season, he managed to play 18 games and scored nine points. Meanwhile, he has played parts of the last three seasons in the AHL. In that span, he scored 82 points in 119 games. That includes 52 points in 63 games in 2021-22. Last season wasn’t as good in the AHL, as he managed to produce 17 points in 32 games. Despite that, Dorofeyev is looking for more of a full-time NHL role this season.
The 6’1″ and 176-pound winger could earn NHL playing time alongside William Karlsson again due to his offensive abilities. He is a dual-threat option, capable of being a more than capable goal-scorer. He’s also capable of then becoming the set-up guy, with strong vision and playmaking instincts. Additionally, he still possesses the dazzling stickhandling that awarded him some hype in his draft year.
With all the flare, one would expect Dorofeyev to only bring the offence, but they’d be incorrect. He battles hard in all three zones, willing to engage physically and do some of the dirty work. A pretty complete player, there’s no reason why Vegas shouldn’t like their top prospect.
2) Brendan Brisson
Brendan Brisson, a winger drafted with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, is coming off of his first professional season in the AHL. Brisson, after being drafted, took his talents to the University of Michigan in the NCAA. He played two seasons with them, scoring 63 points in 62 games in that time. In the 2021-22 season, he would finish the year in the AHL, playing seven games and scoring eight points. After a red-hot season, he would play a full season in the AHL last year. In 58 games, he managed to produce a solid 37 points. Brisson is slated to play in the AHL once again this season, but don’t be surprised if he gets into a few NHL games.
The Vegas Golden Knights prospect pool has taken some hits over the years due to trades, but they’ve held onto Brisson. For good reason. Brisson is another complete player, starting off as more of a playmaker, but developing a strong scoring sense and ability after being drafted. His hockey IQ is noticeable, and that allows him to shine with his vision and passing skills.
More recently, he has added more power to what was already an accurate shot to pair with more of a nose to the net. Brisson has always been a hard worker along the boards, but more consistently attacking the slot with his shots is a pleasant development. That, paired with a very reliable defensive game, bodes well for his eventual NHL debut.
3) Kaedan Korczak
The top defender in the Vegas Golden Knights prospect pool, Kaedan Korczak was a second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2019 NHL draft. Korczak has spent parts of the last three seasons in the AHL. He has scored just 30 points in 108 AHL contests. That comes after a WHL career where he produced 106 points in 214 games. Meanwhile, he has seen 11 NHL games over the last two seasons, including 10 games last season, with two points. The 6’4″ and 192-pound defender does not rely on his offensive abilities, however, to succeed.
Korczak is a stay-at-home defender, who can play on both sides. That versatility, paired with his physical edge and large frame, make him the ideal compliment to a more offensive defender. Korczak has only improved in his own end since being drafted and coming over to the professional ranks. The only downside to Korczak is the fact his offensive potential has yet to be seen, likely meaning he’ll only end up as a shut-down guy to be paired with a Shea Theodore type. He is projected to play in the AHL once again this season, though it is likely he will get some NHL time once again.
4) David Edstrom
David Edstrom, one of the newest additions to the Vegas Golden Knights prospects group, was selected 32nd overall in the 2023 NHL draft. The 6’3″ and 190-pound centre is coming off a season where he played between four leagues. Those leagues are the J18 Region (six points in four games), J18 Nationell (seven points in three games), J20 Nationell (28 points in 28 games), and the SHL (four points in 11 games). This season, he has stuck in the SHL and has had a lot of early success. In seven games thus far, the young centre has six points.
Edstrom is yet another do-it-all prospect in the Knights system. He is known for a very strong defensive ability and smart offensive traits. While Edstrom does not sway one way or the other offensively, he possesses strong instincts and makes the right decisions with the puck almost every time he has it. Plus, his shot is pretty strong on its own. Meanwhile, he is a solid transitional player, something that teams have given more importance to over the years.
But his defensive game is, again, his main strength. He pairs an excellent stick with hard work and incredibly smart and mature positioning. With production seemingly taking a big step forward this season, he may go from a middle-six projection to more of a top-six centre. Someone to watch for as one of the potential biggest steals of the 2023 class if his offensive game takes a big step.
5) Lukas Cormier
Lukas Cormier, the second defender on the Vegas Golden Knights prospects list, was drafted in the third -round (68th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft. However, the 5’10” and 176-pound defender is a far cry in style to the aforementioned Korczak. Last season was Cormier’s first in the AHL after a successful QMJHL career. That success came in the form of 207 points in 208 games, including his final season of 81 points in 62 games. Last season, playing in 62 AHL games, he managed to produce 35 points from the blue line.
Cormier is a strong skater, with four-way mobility. That skating has allowed him to take full advantage of his offensive toolkit, which includes a fast-paced style with a strong shot and solid playmaking. His offensive game makes him dynamic, as does his strong puck-moving abilities. Cormier’s ability to move the puck up ice either himself or with a pass will provide good value for him and his team moving forward. However, he isn’t a complete player. While he did show strong defensive abilities in the QMJHL, in the form of aggressiveness, his size has prevented him from translating that to a higher level.
6) Daniil Chayka
Chayka, a second-round pick (38th overall) in the 2021 NHL draft, is yet another one of the Vegas Golden Knights prospects to have played in the AHL last season. Chayka has had a unique path to this point. He played two seasons in the OHL, playing 112 games and scoring 48 points there from the blue line. But, the left-shot defender played in Russia during the COVID-19 2020-21 season, playing across the MHL, VHL, and KHL.
In the KHL, he played 11 games and had two points, which was better than his VHL stats (one point in 10 games). He performed well in the MHL (four points in five games), but that is a weaker league. Then, he returned to the OHL for a year, scoring an additional 39 points in 53 games. Which brings us to last season, where he played 57 AHL games, and scored eight points.
Chayka, who is expected to return to the AHL this season, is closer to the style that Korczak plays. He is a defensively-minded guy who defends against the rush exceptionally well. He’s also got a large frame, standing at 6’3″ and 181 pounds, and isn’t afraid to use it. However, he has struggled to translate those physical traits to the AHL to this point. Not only that, but his offensive game just can’t seem to find a rhythm. Due to this, he likely fizzles out as a bottom pair or middle pair defender who specifically gets deployed in defensive zone situations.
7) Matyas Sapovaliv
Sapovaliv, a centre who was drafted in the second round (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft, has begun his third season in the OHL. So far, the 6’3″ and 183-pound forward has scored 108 points in 129 OHL games leading into this season. Sapovaliv did not take as big of a step as many had hoped after scoring 52 points in 68 games in his draft season. In his second season, he produced 56 points in 61 games, failing to reach the point-per-game mark. So far this season, he has played just one game and failed to score a point.
Sapovaliv’s game is reliant on his strength on the puck a lot of the time. On offence, he relies on his size and reach to hold off defenders, allowing him to let the play develop. While he does have good awareness and anticipation, he won’t be able to hold off bigger and stronger competition. That said, his playmaking is underrated when he does get off his passes. Also, he generally makes the smart and efficient passes to extend play when there isn’t much else happening around him.
However, his skating is still not at the level it needs to be, and his defensive game still needs work. That said, Sapovaliv is still a couple of years away from being NHL-ready, and even then, there’s no guarantee that he’ll develop his game enough to be more than a bottom-six secondary scorer.
8) Jiri Patera
Jiri Patera, the first goaltender on the Vegas Golden Knights prospects list, is a former sixth-round pick (161st overall) in the 2017 NHL draft. The 6’2″ and 209-pound goalie has managed to play two NHL games (all last season) to this point. Over the last three seasons, he has spent some time in the AHL and ECHL as well. In his time in the AHL, Patera has managed a .908 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.88 goals against average (GAA). Meanwhile, in the ECHL, he has posted a .906 SV% and 2.77 GAA. While those stats aren’t exactly impressive, he did admirably well last season in a tough situation in the crease for Vegas. In the two games he played in, he posted a .929 SV% and a 2.50 GAA.
It’ll be tough for Patera to get consistent NHL minutes with Vegas this season, however, with Robin Lehner out once again with injury issues, there will be opportunities. Patera has a decent all-around skillset, which is why he has been able to adjust his game to consistently improve at every level he has played in. That consistent improvement year-to-year will be key this season. He will more likely than not stay in the AHL, but an improvement statistically and physically could earn him a bigger and better shot next season.
9) Arttu Karki
Karki, another recent acquisition in the Vegas Golden Knights prospects pool, was drafted in the third round (96th overall) in the 2023 NHL draft. Karki played last season in Finland, at the U20 level, with Tappara. The Finnish defender scored 39 points in 36 games last season from the blue line. This season, the 6’2″ and 176-pound defenceman joined the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, and he scored three points in his debut.
Karki is a flashy, offensively-oriented defender. He has a knack for getting shots on net consistently, making him a threat from the point for tips or rebounds. Additionally, he has decent puckhandling skills, having the ability to make a move to extend a possession and set up a scoring chance.
However, consistency is lacking at this point. Not only that but as a playmaker from the blueline, there were too many costly mistakes made. Moving forward, the OHL could be a good place for Karki to refine his passing skills. On top of that, his skating needs a bit of work, and if his edges can be improved, it could open more opportunities to use his accurate shot or open up passing lanes, making it easier for him to complete them.
10) Mathieu Cataford
Yet another member of the 2023 draft class makes the Vegas Golden Knights prospects list. Cataford, a winger drafted in the third round (77th overall) is slated to play in his third QMJHL season. So far, through two years, he has scored 121 points in 130 games. That includes his 75 points in 68 games last season.
Cataford produced at a high rate thanks to two main traits: his shooting and off-puck abilities. He consistently flashed high-end awareness and play-reading abilities, which allowed him to find open space. With that, teammates often found him in high-danger spots, and he would use that shot to put those chances home. Additionally, he is reliable on his own end of the ice. That reliability and hockey sense gives him a good baseline. For now, his ceiling is limited, but a big step forward in dynamism offensively and creating plays more on his own would immediately shoot him up the ranks.
HM (Round 4 Or Later): Isaiah Saville
Saville, a goalie taken in the fifth round (135th overall) in the 2019 NHL draft, just finished his first full professional season. This comes after three NCAA seasons where he started 82 games and held a record of 38-36-5 with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. In that span, he held a .907 SV% and a 2.78 GAA. Meanwhile, he has spent parts of the last two seasons in the AHL, where he has played 18 games, with a 10-6-0 record, with a .913 SV% and 2.69 GAA. Last season, he spent a majority of the season in the ECHL. In 33 games there, he recorded an 8-15-5 record but performed better than his record states. Despite the tough record, he had a .920 SV% and a 3.09 GAA.
Saville is one of those goalies who looks almost robotic in the crease. In a good way. His movements are calculated and smooth. He possesses strong lateral movement that is precise. It’s hard catching Saville over-estimating a push across his crease to follow the play. Additionally, he has a strong understanding of positioning in the crease. He comes out and challenges shooters to take away as much net as possible. The only red flag about Saville’s game that stands out? He’s just 6’1″ and 196 pounds, undersized for a goaltender. However, he has managed to get this far despite his smaller frame, and there’s no reason to doubt him now.
In The System
The Vegas Golden Knights prospects pool doesn’t exactly have the biggest names. That’s not a knock on them. It’s more of a testament to how competitive they have been over the last several years. Not to mention, trading some of their prospects in the past. Granted, it was for some of the current NHLers that helped them win the Stanley Cup. But they do have some youth already playing in the NHL. That includes Jack Eichel, Paul Cotter, Brett Howden, Nicolas Hague, and Logan Thompson.
They also have Maxime Comtois on a professional try-out. Some other names under contract that did not make the top 10 include Ivan Morozov, Jakub Brabenec, Marcus Kallionkieli, Layton Ahac, Christoffer Sedoff, and Carl Lindbom.
Some names not currently under contract that just missed the cut include Jordan Gustafson, Ryder Donovan, Ben Hemmerling, Tuomas Uronen, and Abram Wiebe. That being said, there is some depth in their system. However, it’s not a strength. With the types of moves the Knights make, it’s likely the prospect pool will continue thinning out. As long as their core is still together, they’ll remain competitive. But there will be a time where they will pay the piper and suffer a long rebuild.
All stats via Elite Prospects
Main Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
