Kelly McCrimmon greeted his scouting staff on Friday without a first-round pick in his pocket. But early into the proceedings of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Vegas Golden Knights GM swung a deal to give his crew some material they could sink into with their teeth. And more.
Before the first round was over, McCrimmon had drafted defenseman Juho Piiparinen from Tappara of Finland's Liiga with the 29th-overall selection. He had also added another first in the 2028 draft, a third in 2026, a third in 2027 and a fourth in 2026.
McCrimmon got three picks (two firsts and a third) from the New York Rangers in a trade for winger Pavel Dorofeyev and then added two more by trading down.
The Dorofeyev draft tree would eventually swell to five picks. McCrimmon moved on from a talented scorer but now has five opportunities to improve his team.
The Golden Knights have often used draft picks to acquire players that immediately stepped into their lineup which had left the draft pick cupboard less than overstuffed. Adding five picks in a couple of hours goes a long way to adjust that outlook.
McCrimmon added draft capital and salary cap flexibility.
Piiparinen, 17, spent most of the 2025-26 season playing in Finland’s top league with Tappara, skating in 29 games and adding three assists with a +6 rating. The six-foot-three defenseman also earned action last season with Tappara U20, skating in 15 contests and posting 13 points (1G, 12A) with a +9 rating on the ice. Piiparinen represented Finland at the 2026 World Junior Championship, playing in six games with one assist and a +6 rating.
