Three Golden Knights Receive Honourable Mentions On The Athletic's Top 75 Drafted Prospects List
Brendan Brisson, Lukas Cormier and David Edstrom were the three Vegas Golden Knights players who were named to Scott Wheeler's Top 75 Drafted Prospects List.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports - Three Golden Knights Receive Honourable Mentions On The Athletic's Top 75 Drafted Prospects ListBrendan Brisson, Lukas Cormier and David Edstrom were the three Vegas Golden Knights players who were named to Scott Wheeler's Top 75 Drafted Prospects List (from 'Ranking the top 75 drafted NHL prospects: Matvei Michkov leads Scott Wheeler’s 2024 list' The Athletic, 03/04/24).
Brendan Brisson was selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft. Brisson spent two years at the University of Michigan where he was extremely productive. Brisson spent the entirety of last year with the Henderson Silver Knights and due to the amount of injuries the Golden Knights have faced this season, Brisson has been up and down between the AHL and NHL.
In 12 games in the NHL, he's scored two goals and six points. In the AHL he's scored 12 goals and 26 points in 41 games.
"He’s still got the tools to potentially become a middle-six scoring winger with PP1 upside on the right flank. His excellent one-timer pops off of his stick and always seems to hit the target from his off-wing. He has great hands and poise (though they can become less useful when pace ramps up). When things slow down, he’s got an ability to maneuver and manipulate inside the offensive zone while processing the game, and a sense for how to expose pressure points and use space to his advantage."
Lukas Cormier is a 5'11, 21-year-old defenseman who was selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. Cormier has played two games with the Golden Knights this season but has spent this season playing with the Silver Knights. In 45 games with the Silver Knights this season Cormier has scored three goals and 18 points.
"With the puck, he drives play to high-danger areas as a playmaker individually to look to create chances for himself and as a playmaker who regularly puts pucks through layers to his teammates. Without the puck, he has learned to play a disruptive and increasingly competitive/feisty game defensively."
The third and final player to receive an honourable mention was 2023 first-round pick David Edstrom. Edstrom is an intriguing prospect. Listed at 6'3, the Swedish international has played in 40 games with Frolunda HC in the SHL registering six goals and 15 points.
Edstrom was a part of the Swedish World Juniors team that won silver. In seven games though Edstrom failed to score and only had three assists.
"His stride is a little stilted and he’s not a great skater (I think it was overrated in his draft year and he has talked to me about the need to work on it), but he’s good in a very effective kind of way. He can also play with power or play with skill, which blends to allow him to take pucks off the wall to the inside and then execute in congested areas in ways you wouldn’t necessarily expect out of a 6-foot-3 player. He’ll make a soft-area play one second, a play in tight to his body the next, and then drive out of those plays the next. At an early age, it’s also clear he has a really mature understanding of how to use his size to his advantage. He looks to dictate with his length and knows how to position himself against defenders. He’s decent on entries and will hold pucks but can also play off of his linemates. It’s not flashy but Edstrom projects as a solid third-line centre who can potentially contribute on both special teams."
Edstrom is a long-term outlook prospect that could pay dividends if the Golden Knights are patient.
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