Taking A Look Back At The 2019 Draft

Late June always brings the official start of summer, and for hockey fans it typically brings the annual NHL Entry Draft as well. Although this year's draft has been pushed back during the League's current pause in play, catch up with the eight draft picks made by the Golden Knights a year ago and how each performed during their respective 2019-20 campaigns.

Peyton Krebs (Round 1, 17 overall)
The Golden Knights grabbed Krebs with the 17th overall pick last year at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. The forward spent most of the summer and the beginning of the 2019-20 season in Las Vegas working his way back from an injury that he sustained shortly before the draft. Krebs ended up making his season debut in late November with the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League. In a shortened third season with the Ice, the Calgary native scored an impressive 60 points (12 G, 48 A) in just 38 games. His 48 assists were the most on the team despite the late start. Krebs proved to be one the Golden Knights most promising prospects and signed his entry-level contract with the team November 16.

Kaedan Korczak (Round 2, 41 overall)
Kaedan Korczak was the second selection made by the Golden Knights last year. Korczak just wrapped up his third full campaign with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL and will return for the 2020-21 season. The Saskatchewan product put together the most productive season of his young career, leading all Kelowna defensemen with 49 points (11 G, 38 A) in 60 games. His 180 shots on net were the seventh most of all defensemen in the league. Like Krebs, Vegas has already inked Korczak to a three-year entry-level deal. Both Korczak and Krebs recently earned invites to Hockey Canada's all-virtual National Junior Team Development Camp in preparation for the 2021 World Junior Championship.

Pavel Dorofeyev (Round 3, 79 overall)
Dorofeyev was the lone pick made by Vegas in last year's draft that didn't spend the 2019-20 season playing in North America. The forward appeared in 48 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk while making the transition to competing in Russia's top professional league. Since being drafted in the third-round last summer, the skilled playmaker also earned a silver medal after Russia finished second in the 2020 World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. Dorofeyev will remain in the Kontinental Hockey League for the 2020-21 season after recently being acquired by Traktor Chelyabinsk.

Layton Ahac (Round 3, 86 overall)
Hockey fans in Las Vegas had the opportunity to watch Ahac play with the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Fortress Invitational at T-Mobile Arena. His team joined Army, Cornell and Providence at the two-day tournament back in January. In Ahac's freshman season with the Buckeyes, the defenseman appeared in each of the team's 36 games and was tied for second on the team with a +10 rating. The native of Vancouver is expected to return as a sophomore and play the 2020-21 season back in Columbus.

Ryder Donovan (Round 4, 110 overall)
Ryder Donovan was the fifth selection made by the Golden Knights in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Days after being drafted, he headed to City National Arena with the rest of the Vegas draft class for his first professional development camp and wrote here about his experience. The 6-3 forward is coming off his first season playing college hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers. Donovan appeared in 32 games during the 2019-20 season and collected five points (2 G, 3 A) to go with 12 penalty minutes. The Minnesota native will return to Madison looking to build on his freshman campaign.

Isaiah Saville (Round 5, 135 overall)
Saville was the first of three picks used in the fifth round and the lone goaltender taken by Vegas in last summer's draft. Like Ahac and Donovan, Saville is coming off his first season playing college hockey. With Nebraska Omaha, he played in 28 games and recorded a 2.85 GAA and .907 save percentage. During the shortened season, the freshman was also named the conference's rookie of the week twice. Saville is expected to return to Omaha as a sophomore to lead the team's goaltending efforts once again.

Marcus Kallionkieli (Round 5, 139 overall)
Kallionkieli is a dual citizen, of Finland and Brazil, and an intriguing prospect for the Golden Knights. His first experience playing in North America came during the 2018-19 season with the Sioux City Musketeers, when he was named to the USHL's All-Rookie Team. After being drafted by Vegas, he was picked up by the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. In his first season with the Wheat Kings, the forward appeared in 21 games and collected 11 points (1 G, 10 A). Kallionkieli was the first prospect from the 2019 Vegas draft class to sign his entry-level contract with the Golden Knights.

Mason Primeau (Round 5, 141 overall)
The son of 15-year NHL vet Wayne Primeau, Mason was Vegas' third pick of the fifth round and the team's final pick in the 2019 Vancouver draft. The center stands at 6-6 and just completed his third season playing in the Ontario Hockey League. With North Bay Battalion, Primeau collected 19 points (11 G, 8 A) in 45 games during the 2019-20 season and will remain in Ontario for the upcoming campaign.