The Golden Knights’ prospect cupboard is still pretty bare, and the 2026 NHL Pipeline Rankings make that plain. Vegas comes in at No. 29, with a system that leans on Juho Piiparinen, Trevor Connelly and Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, but doesn’t offer much beyond that. With so few picks made in recent years, the organization has only a small group of players who look like real NHL possibilities.
That’s reflected in the grade, too: C- for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Piiparinen sits at the top of the list after being drafted No. 29 in 2026. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound right-shot defender is viewed as an NHL prospect with NHL-average skating and hockey sense, above-NHL-average compete, and below-NHL-average puck skills and shot.
He’s described as a mobile blueliner who moves pucks well, breaks up plays and can be trusted by coaches, but the offensive side of his game remains the big question. He doesn’t stand out in any one area, which leaves his role at the next level unsettled.
Ihs-Wozniak, taken No. 55 in 2025, gives Vegas another intriguing option. The 6-foot-3 right winger brings size, skating and offensive tools, along with a shot that grades above NHL average.
He’s labeled a very toolsy player and a potential scoring winger, but the report questions whether he competes hard enough and whether he’s really a playmaker. His game can “lack a pulse,” and the concern is that his talent alone may not be enough to push him through.
Connelly remains one of the more interesting names in the group. Drafted No. 19 in 2024, the 6-foot-1 left winger was very good in the AHL last season, scoring at a point-per-game pace after a difficult year in college.
His skating and puck skills both grade above NHL average, and his shot does too, while his hockey sense is listed below NHL average. The upside is obvious: he’s fast, slippery and can make difficult plays at a high pace.
The issue is that he can force things and let his effort slip. If he smooths out those rough edges, he could settle in as a middle-six winger.
After those three, the depth gets thinner fast.
Jonah Sivertson, a No. 113 pick in 2026, is a 6-foot-3 right wing with a creative game and the ability to produce on the move and in traffic. His skating is the obvious hurdle, with a clunky stride that holds him back, and his effort is only average. Even so, the report sees a path to him becoming a useful depth piece.
Ben Hemmerling, a 2022 pick at No. 177, had a strong AHL season for Henderson as one of the club’s top offensive players. The 5-foot-10 right wing brings quickness and creativity, gets to the net and can create for teammates from the flank. The size and frame are still part of the NHL conversation, but the skill is there.
Trent Swick offers a very different profile. The 6-foot-7 left winger, drafted No. 180 in 2024, has an exciting athletic build and good skating for a big man, even if his first step is a little heavy.
His compete grades above NHL average, and he plays with physicality. But the rest of the package is rough: below-NHL-average skating and puck skills, poor hockey sense, and a tendency to give pucks away.
Still, he’s a special athlete who could appeal to coaches because of the style he can play.
Noel Pakarinen rounds out the list at No. 207 in 2026. The 6-foot-2 left winger plays hard, has good hands and creates chances in the high-percentage areas, but his skating is just OK and his pure scoring profile isn’t considered prolific. That leaves his NHL role in question.
The bottom line for Vegas is simple: there are a few legitimate names here, but not much volume behind them. The system has some talent at the top, yet the overall pipeline remains thin.
In Other News...
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For fans who want a more low-key setup, Henderson Water District brings a relaxed atmosphere and free parking, which can be just as appealing as the spectacle on the Strip. Toshiba Plaza still stands in a category of its own for playoff hockey, but these regular-season options give local fans a few very different ways to stay close to the Golden Knights long before the spring pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]
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For a team that has built its identity around depth and pressure, the ratings only sharpen the conversation about how far this group can go. Eichel and Marner give the Golden Knights elite skill at key spots, while Stone remains the stabilizing presence that has long made the lineup harder to handle over a full game. The bigger question is how all of that firepower translates once the real season begins, and whether this forward core can carry Vegas to the level it believes is there. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Debate Is Back As Vegas Future Looks Uncomfortably Thin
The Golden Knights have spent the better part of their existence leaning into the same formula: add established talent, chase the present, and worry about the pipeline later. It has worked well enough to deliver multiple Stanley Cup Final trips and a championship in 2023, but it also comes with the familiar tradeoff of a shallow prospect base, something The Athletic recently underscored by ranking Vegas 29th in its NHL Pipeline Rankings.
That kind of evaluation is not a surprise in a market that has long been built around win-now moves and veteran extensions under general manager Kelly McCrimmon, but it does bring the old debate back into focus. Vegas has thrived by prioritizing certainty over patience, yet the question hanging over the organization is whether that approach can keep producing at the same level if the future behind the current core keeps looking this thin. [Read more 🡒]