The Vegas Golden Knights have officially hit the ice for Training Camp for the upcoming 2024-25 season, and there are more than a few notable absences from the squad that is just over one year removed from their first Stanley Cup championship.
Gone are the likes of Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson, William Carrier, Logan Thompson, and Michael Amadio, all of whom are now playing elsewhere. And in the meantime, there are a handful of highly-touted prospects who are looking to make a name for themselves and join the next wave of Golden Knights players.
Who are the prospects that fans should be keeping the closest tabs on now that Camp is well underway, and which one of them stands the best chance of making the final roster?
2020 No. 77 overall pick F Mathieu Cataford
A forward with tremendous offensive upside, his efforts have already been recognized while playing for Halifax of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League. He took home the Michel Briere Memorial Trophy, awarded annually as the most valuable player of the QMJHL after scoring 40 goals and 50 assists in 65 games played.
According to his draft profile, he has all of the tools necessary to become an effective NHL player for years to come.
“There isn't a single skill missing from Mathieu Cataford's toolkit,” his profile via Elite Prospects noted. “He can win pucks back on the forecheck, move them quickly to his teammates in the slot, drive through the hands of defenders to get to the net-front, make plays in transition, deceive opponents, and break into the offensive zone. And he can sneak in holes in the opposition's coverage and shoot off passes.”
2020 No. 29 overall pick Brendan Brisson
Selected late in the opening round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Brisson has already gotten several games of valuable experience with the Golden Knights under his belt. In 2023-24, he played in 15 contests, lighting the lamp twice while adding another six assists; he played the majority of the campaign with the American Hockey League affiliate Henderson Silver Knights, scoring 19 goals with 19 assists in 52 games played.
Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon stated in no uncertain terms that the objective for Brisson will be to make the final roster, especially considering that he's spent the majority of the last two seasons in the AHL.
“Brendan’s played two full seasons in the American League now,” McCrimmon said via NHL.com. “Last season, we had a lot of injuries to our forwards. It gave him a real good opportunity to see what the NHL game is like, where he needs to get better. It also gave us the opportunity to see him in that setting, so I think there’s a lot of value in his second pro season.
“His objective will be to make our team coming out of training camp this year. Our thoughts are: Let’s see where he’s at. He’s going to be an NHL player. It’s just a matter of the timing, the best development steps that go with that.”
No. 19 pick in 2024 F Trevor Connelly
The first overall pick of the Golden Knights this summer at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Connelly is expected to need a few seasons in the minors to fully hone his skills before eventually making the jump to the NHL – but that doesn't mean he can't have an impressive camp.
The 18-year-old Connelly scored 31 goals with 47 assists while playing with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL in 2023-24. His scouting draft profile noted that his skating is among his biggest strengths:
“Connelly is a burner,” his profile via Elite Prospects read. “Give him the puck in space, and he makes things happen. Some of that is skill, a lot that effectiveness rests in the details – it all depends on what’s in front of him. When confronted by a defender playing a tight gap, Connelly dictates their momentum, changing lanes and cutting across his opponents as they react; if the defense sags, he cuts inside.”
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