Lawless: Prospects Added To Vegas Pipeline

Just like that, a dress rehearsal turned into a live performance for Vegas Golden Knights Director of amateur Scouting Raphael Pouliot and his scouts.

Pouliot arrived in Vegas this weekend with just one pick in the first three rounds of the 2026 Draft and four in total (3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th). Then, VGK GM Kelly McCrimmon swung a deal sending winger Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers for three draft picks. McCrimmon wasn't done and traded down and up a number of times.

In the end, Pouliot and the Golden Knights found themselves with an additional first, third, and fourth in the 2026 draft as well as a third in 2027 and a conditional first in 2028. McCrimmon also moved up in the fourth from 117th to 113th and used his 2026 seventh-round pick make the deal. In all, McCrimmon netted four additional picks over the weekend.

Pouliot prepared his list like he would be picking in every round and that dedication to the task paid big dividends when his boss handed him a number of surprises.

Instead of waiting until the third round, Pouliot got to make a pick on Friday night and took Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen with the 29th-overall selection.

Just 17, Piiparinen played for Tappara in the top tier pro league in Finland and helped his club to a championship.

Piiparinen is described as a leader with potential to play as a second pairing defender in the NHL. Competitive and responsible with more offense to give as he matures, Piiparinen has already played hard minutes against men in Finland.

"I think when I played with the men in the pro league, I did a pretty good and solid job there," Piiparinen said. "Playing too in the World Juniors, I think those two were big for this draft."

Vegas had two selections in the third round and chose center Ben Wilmott and defenseman Sean Burick.

Wilmott popped in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, scoring 11 goals and 22 points in 20 games for Barrie. The 19-year-old is heading to Ohio State next year.

"It's unbelievable. It's a dream come true. As a little kid growing up playing the sport you love, this is what you dream about. I'm just so grateful to be here and do this with my family. It's an unreal experience. It's awesome," Wilmott said.

"It's amazing. It's such a great feeling, such a great organization. I can't put into words how I'm feeling right now. It's unreal. I would say just the winning culture. I want to do whatever it takes to win, whatever it takes to get the W every single night. Go in, have fun, enjoy the game, and just compete and work every single day."

Burick is 6-foot-8 and will return to Penticton next season. The native of San Clemente, California is raw but a strong skater.

In the fourth round, Vegas chose 17-year-old Jonah Sivertson from the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. Sivertson scored 24 goals and 53 points in his first full season with the Raiders.

Vegas took 18-year-old defenseman Will McLaughlin in the fifth round. The native of Canmore, Alberta played last season with Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, scoring nine goals and 30 points in 68 games.

In the sixth round, the Golden Knights took 6-foot-5 goalie Matthew Minchak from the Kingston Frontenacs. Finally, after swapping next year's seventh-round selection with Detroit for the 207th pick, Vegas chose Finnish forward Noel Pakarinen.

Round 1 (29th overall)
Juho Piiparinen, Defenseman
Birthplace: Lahti, FIN
Height: 6-3
Weight: 203 lbs.
Age: 17
Shoots: Right

Notes:

• Played 29 games in Finland’s top league, Liiga, last season with Tappara and recorded three assists with a +6 rating
• Also earned action last season with Tappara U20, skating in 15 contests and posting 13 points (1 G, 12 A) with a +9 rating on the ice
• Represented Finland at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, playing in six games with one assist and a +6 rating
• Drafted in the first round (29th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 3 (92nd overall)
Benjamin Wilmott, Forward
Birthplace: Seattle, WA
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 lbs.
Age: 19
Shoots: Left

Notes:

• Played 66 games during the 2025-26 season split between the London Knights and Barrie Colts of the OHL, recording 66 points (27 G, 49 A) with a +30 rating
• Helped Barrie to an appearance at the 2026 OHL Championship before falling to the Kitchener Rangers, collecting 22 points (11 G, 11 A) in 20 postseason games
• Spent two seasons in the USHL with the Chicago Steel and Sioux Falls Stampede, appearing in 101 total contests and earning 42 points (21 G, 21 A)
• Drafted in the third round (92nd overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 3 (95th overall)
Sean Burick, Defenseman
Birthplace: San Clemente, CA
Height: 6-8
Weight: 214 lbs.
Age: 18
Shoots: Right

Notes:

• Played 50 games during the 2025-26 season with the Penticton Vees of the WHL and recorded four points (0 G, 4 A) with a +25 rating
• Helped Penticton to the 2026 WHL semifinals in the expansion team’s first season, collecting two points (0 G, 2 A) in 12 postseason games
• Attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s and won the US 18U Nationals Tier I Championship during the 2024-25 season
• Drafted in the third round (95^th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 4 (113th overall)
Jonah Sivertson, Forward
Birthplace: Regina, SK
Height: 6-3
Weight: 194 lbs.
Age: 17
Shoots: Right

Notes:

• Played 66 games during the 2025-26 season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL and recorded 53 points (24 G, 29 A) with a +46 rating
• Helped Prince Albert to an appearance at the 2026 WHL Championship before falling to the Everett Silvertips, collecting 10 points (3 G, 7 A) in 20 postseason games
• First saw action in the WHL with Prince Albert during the 2024-25 campaign, appearing in 14 games and posting two assists
• Drafted in the fourth round (113th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 5 (159th overall)
Will McLaughlin, Defenseman
Birthplace: Canmore, AB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185 lbs.
Age: 18
Shoots: Left

Notes:

• Played 68 games during the 2025-26 season with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL and registered 30 points (9 G, 21 A) with a +11 rating
• Won a gold medal in August at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with the United States, adding three assists during the international competition
• Spent the 2024-25 campaign with the Drumheller Dragons of the AJHL, skating in 47 contests and producing 29 points (3 G, 26 A)
• Drafted in the fifth round (159th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 6 (191st overall)
Matthew Minchak, Goaltender
Birthplace: Cranford, NJ
Height: 6-5
Weight: 194 lbs.
Age: 19
Shoots: Left

Notes:

• Played 30 games during the 2025-26 season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and registered a 2.91 GAA and .910 save percentage
• Helped Kingston to the 2026 OHL playoffs, where he played in three of the team’s four games and recorded a 3.20 GAA and .911 save percentage
• Drafted in the sixth round (191st overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft

Round 7 (207th overall)
Noel Pakarinen, Forward
Birthplace: Palo Alto, CA
Height: 6-2
Weight: 192 lbs.
Age: 17
Shoots: Left

Notes:

• Played 44 games during the 2025-26 season and registered a combined 35 points (16 G, 19 A), splitting his time between Kiekko-Espoo U18 (U18 SM-Sarja), Kiekko-Espoo U20 (U20 SM-Sarja), and Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga) in Finland
• Earned rookie of the year honors in the U20 SM-Sarja, and helped his club become champions of the league by posting 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in 15 postseason games with a +5 rating
• Represented Finland at the 2026 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship, skating in each of his country’s five games and collecting two points (1 G, 1 A)
• Drafted in the seventh round (207th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Draft