[Sandman]

A few prospects of note if we're dealing with Vegas:

-LW Trevor Connelly (6'1",185lbs): Arguably the jewel of the Knights' prospect base, I'm sure he would be just THRILLED to be traded to Calgary. His young career has been plagued with questions about his character, but there's no doubt that he has the skill, speed, and offensive presence to one day be a top-line player.

-RW Jakob Ihs-Wozniak (6'3",190lbs): He needs work on his skating, but his numbers in the J20 the last 2 seasons have been no less than stellar, and he should've had more points last year than his 57 in 40 games- as he had 50 in 36 the year prior. Woz can make plays, but he wows with his arsenal of NHL-quality shots, and his nose for the net.

-LD Gustav Sjoqvist (6'3",207lbs): He's mostly a stay-at-home D with shutdown capabilities, who is good against the rush, and very physical- even a little mean at times. There's a modicum of skill and puck-moving ability as well.

-RW Lucas Van Vliet (6'2",181lbs): Picked in the 7th-round in 2024, Van Vliet showed very well in December's World Junior-A Challenge (2nd in the tourney with 10 points in 5 games), and in the USHL playoffs with Dubuque (10 points in 7 games). He's a good skater, and plays with some jam, with a solid shooting arsenal at his disposal. With his attention to playing a responsible two-way game, he could one day develop into a valuable third-liner in the NHL.

-RW/C Tuomas Uronen (6'0",190lbs): A sixth-rounder in 2023, Uronen is quite well-rounded skill-wise, and plays a hard-working two-way game, with play-driving capability in transition. He put up 90 points in 63 games for the Kingston Frontenacs, tying teammate Jacob Battaglia for the team lead in points- but he did it in 5 less games.

-LHC Matyas Sapovaliv (6'4",194lbs): Seems like this kid has been around forever, but he's only 21 years old. A highly regarded junior player (selected in the second-round in 2022), this kid will need a little more developmental time, as he put up just 19 points in 71 AHL games last year- his first in the league. Sappy was always considered to be a smart playmaker, but it would seem that he's leaning more into his goal-scoring, and owns a deadly release. He could stand to use his size more, and still needs a touch of work on his skating, but he has good potential.

-RW Mathieu Cataford (6'0",190lbs): I've been a fan of his since his draft season, and I believe he's still being underrated (selected in the third-round of the 2023 draft). Cataford is very well-rounded, hard-working, and plays a simple, but highly effective 200-ft game, with play-driving abilities. He put up 90 points in his D+1 year for the Halifax Mooseheads. He has second-line potential, IMO.

-LD Lukas Cormier (5'10",190lbs): Not sure if Cormier should be on this list, as the 23 year-old has been dealing with injuries in the each of the last 2 AHL seasons, playing 58 games (20 points) in 2023-24, then only 19 (9 points) last year. Cormier is a diminutive rearguard in the Samuel Girard-mold, but has never owned upper-end footspeed- although he has apparently improved this aspect of his game in recent years. In his time in the Q, he was one of the best offensive defensemen in the entire CHL- posting 207 points in 208 games over 4 seasons, with 81 points in 62 games in 2021-22, and 54 points in 39 games in his D+1 year in 2020-21 (he was back-to-back Defenseman of the Year in the Q). He's an excellent puck-mover, and still shows high-end creativity and awareness, but must improve his own-end play.

-RW Braeden Bowman (6'2",194lbs): He was signed as an overager out of the OHL (he Captained the Guelph Storm in his last season), Bowman is a meat-and-potatoes two-way winger, who had himself a decent rookie year in the AHL, putting up 36 points in 68 games. Bowman may not be fleet-of-foot, but he provides exemplary defensive play, hard work, and has become a well-balanced offensive threat- although his shot and his nose for the net are his calling-cards. He might make a fine 3rd-line winger in the show someday.

-LD Arttu Karki (6'2",181lbs): A third-rounder from 2023, Karki has always been a first-rate offensive weapon from the blueline back home in Finland, with over a PPG in his draft year in the U20 League (39 points in 36 games). He is big and mobile, and unafraid to either join the rush, or pinch in from the point. A solid puck-mover and transitional contributor, he has to improve his defensive play. In his D+1 year, he played in the OHL for the 3rd-placed Soo Greyhounds- putting up 45 points in 59 games.

-LHC Mateo Nobert (6'0",168lbs): Nobert had to wait until the 3rd-round of the 2025 Draft to be picked, but some (including myself) had him possibly going in the late-first (he was picked 3rd-overall in the Q Draft). His numbers in his draft-year (67 points in 57 games) may have been inflated due to playing with one of the Q's best offensive players, in Justin Carbonneau. Nobert was, however, the Armada's best player and leading scorer in the playoffs, with 5 points in 4 games. Though nearly half of his points came via the PP, Nobert still own high-end IQ and vision, a deadly release, and sublime puck-skills to force attackers into making errors in trying to rob him of the puck. He skates well, goes to the net hard, and plays a hard-nosed physical style. Really like this kid.