The NHL draft could potentially be busy for the Vegas Golden Knights in every way but the draft itself.
It’s not expected to be a busy weekend in terms of adding new prospects to the organization when the draft begins Friday in Buffalo. The Knights enter the weekend with just four picks — Nos. 95, 159, 191 and 223.
Barring an unforeseen move into the first round, the Knights won’t be on the clock until the third round on Saturday.
Their first-round pick belongs to the Calgary Flames after the 2024 trade that landed them defenseman Noah Hanifin.
The second-round pick was forfeited following the Knights’ multiple media violations culminating in then-coach John Tortorella skipping the team’s postgame availability following the Game 6 clincher in Anaheim. Tortorella was also fined $100,000.
Trade activity has picked up heavily around the league in recent days, with notable names like Brady Tkachuk and Alex Tuch on the move.
The Knights were expected to be heavily involved in trade discussions during the draft last year, especially leading up to pursuit of Mitch Marner.
Those moves didn’t come until days after. The deal to send Nic Hague to Nashville for Jeremy Lauzon and Colton Sissons — and the eventual sign-and-trade with Marner leaving Toronto in exchange for Nicolas Roy — happened after the draft.
The Knights could be busy on that front before free agency opens Wednesday. It could be another case where everything happens after the final selection is made, or maybe they surprise everyone and get their business done before then.
What to watch on Friday
McKenna goes first?
Most mock drafts have stayed true that Penn State forward Gavin McKenna will go No. 1 overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
McKenna has been the consensus top pick for most of the year and it appears to be coming to fruition Friday.
Toronto’s offseason has been eventful and full of confusion, starting with hiring John Chayka as general manager and hiring former Los Angeles Kings coach Jim Hiller to that role.
The Maple Leafs also traded promising goaltender Joseph Woll to the Philadelphia Flyers, and acquired defenseman Taylor Raddysh from Tampa Bay and signed him to an eight-year contract.
There have been weird decisions in Toronto. This shouldn’t be one of them.
What does San Jose do?
The San Jose Sharks were inches away from a surprising playoff berth this season. They find themselves comfortably with two top-10 picks.
San Jose was a lottery winner to get the No. 2 pick but then traded former seventh overall pick William Eklund to Ottawa to secure the No. 9 pick.
The Sharks could package those together for a win-now move, or continue to build a future that looks bright with Macklin Celebrini leading the charge.
If San Jose stays at No. 2, Swedish forward Ivar Stenberg is the consensus choice there. He would immediately fill the void left by Eklund in the top six.
Uh, Chicago?
No move was a bigger head-scratcher than the Chicago Blackhawks dealing the No. 4 pick to the Buffalo Sabres — who were one win away from the Eastern Conference Final this year — to land defenseman Bowen Byram.
The Blackhawks finished with the second fewest points this season. They do not have a first-round pick. Even if the options weren’t enticing at No. 4, there had to be better options than willing to throw upwards of $10 million per year at Byram.
Buffalo now has a valuable trade chip at its disposal if it doesn’t want to keep the pick. The Sabres could add to a stocked prospect cupboard with a top-five pick, or they can capitalize on their most successful season in decades.
Chicago better hope Byram is worth that investment.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
