The expansion Golden Knights will be hitting the ice for their first competition against another NHL organization this week. They're off to Los Angeles to battle the Kings' prospects in a pair of rookie games.
Both tilts will take place at the Kings' practice facility, Toyota Sports Center, on September 12th at 5 PM and September 13th at 1 PM. LAKings.com will stream both games.
Tickets for each contest can be purchased on site and on the day of for $10. Fans may begin lining up for tickets 90 minutes before the puck drops. Proceeds from all ticket sales will benefit the Kings Care Foundation.
Vegas will be unveiling 2017 first-round picks Cody Glass and Nick Suzuki at these rookie games. However, their other first-round pick, Erik Brannstrom, will be absent. The blueliner is preparing for his season in the Swedish Elite League.
These are the prospects who will be attending Vegas rookie camp. Jake Leschyshyn will miss the rookie games as he recovers from a torn ACL injury from Feburary:
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It was of some surprise last month when prospects guru
Corey Pronman ranked the Golden Knights' system
14th in the league. That's a pretty good start for a franchise that hasn't even played a game yet.
Pronman rated Glass the 13th-best prospect in the NHL, Suzuki 14th, Brannstrom 27th, and Nikita Gusev 52nd
in his top 100. Brendan Leipsic, Alex Tuch, and Maxim Zhukov received honorable mentions from the former ESPN scribe.
Here's a sample of Pronman's thoughts about the fledging franchise's
top-10 prospects:
1) Cody Glass: "He is a dynamic playmaker, who has the skill, size and hockey IQ to be a significant scorer in the NHL...can make plays at a quick tempo...I haven't seen a blow-you-away [skating] gear from him, but he's certainly above average in that area."
2) Nick Suzuki: "His ability to make quick, creative and correct decisions consistently helps him make a dangerous two-way force...His skating technique isn't sublime, but I wouldn't categorize him as slow -- maybe just a little awkward in how his feet get him where he's going."
3) Erik Brannstrom: "Brannstrom is a great skater, is gifted on his edges and has a good top gear. He can make plays in open ice because his feet and great vision allow him to make a lot happen despite less-than-fantastic puck skills."
4) Nikita Gusev: "He can dangle with some of the best players in the NHL, although he doesn't have elite speed and isn't good defensively."
5) Brendan Leipsic: "He's a highly skilled little guy with good speed, and has shown he can be equally effective creating chances in open ice, and pressuring players on the penalty kill...I think he could be a helpful piece during Vegas' first season."
6) Alex Tuch: "There are legitimate concerns on how dynamic a playmaker and skater he is, but there is certainly enough talent and upside in his game to be a useful NHL player."
7) Nicolas Hague: "Hague was a shot-generating machine this season for Mississauga, in part due to how well he creates space with his speed, which is great for such a large player. He's a rock defensively, arguably as good if not better than his offensive game and plays with an edge."
8) Jake Leschyshyn: "With his IQ/work ethic combo, he can project to play the center position reliably as a pro...his game is more north-south than east-west..."
9) Maxim Zhukov: "He's a dynamic goalie at his size. He can be a little all over the place, though."
10) Jonas Rondbjerg: "One NHL scout said: 'He's a coach's dream. He's super smart, plays like a pro and is responsible in all areas of the game.' Rondbjerg's skating has always stuck out to me as the major flaw in his skill set."
Pronman also discussed Lukas Elvenes ("highly skilled playmaker but needs a lot of work") and Keegan Kolesar ("skeptical he has NHL-level skill").
Pronman is now part of The Athletic, which is very much worth the subscription price. Support quality sports writing!
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