Golden Knights target NCAA-bound prospects, add four players in rounds 4-7 of 2026 NHL Draft

The Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up the 2026 NHL Entry Draft by adding four more players in rounds 4-7, including two forwards, one defenseman and one goalie. After completing two more trades — bringing their draft weekend total to five — the Golden Knights added forward Jonah Sivertson (No. 113), defenseman Will McLaughlin (No. 159), goaltender Matthew Minchak (No. 191) and forward Noel Pakarinen (No. 207). Like the two players taken in the third round, all four have committed to NCAA clubs for either the 2026-27 or 2027-28 season. The Golden Knights traded sniper Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers early in the first round of the draft on Friday night, acquiring two first-round picks and a third (No. 92). They then made two more trades that night to acquire additional draft capital, including the No. 29 pick and a 2026 fourth-round selection (No. 117 overall). Vegas utilized those draft picks to take defenseman Juho Piiparinen (No. 29) as well as forward Ben Wilmott (No. 92) and defenseman Sean Burick (No. 95) in the first and third rounds, respectively. Golden Knights select Ben Wilmott and Sean Burick in third round of 2026 NHL Draft The organization was forced to forfeit its second-round pick after violating the NHL’s media policy following Game 6 of the second-round series against Anaheim. But the Golden Knights weren’t finished. In fact, they went on to execute two additional transactions on Day 2 of the draft. First, the Golden Knights moved up four spots in the fourth round, completing a trade with Montreal to land the No. 113 pick in exchange for pick No. 117 and Vegas’ seventh-round pick (No. 223). Vegas took Sivertson with the No. 113 overall pick in the fourth round. The Golden Knights then used their own fifth- and sixth-round picks to take McLaughlin (No. 159) and Minchak (No. 191) before trading back into the seventh round. Vegas swapped its 2027 seventh-rounder for Detroit’s 2026 seventh (No. 207), which was used to add Pakarinen to the mix. No. 113 — Jonah Sivertson, F, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) The 6-foot-3, 194-pound forward who boasts size and skill. He scored 24 goals and 53 points in 66 games with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL this past season, adding three goals and 10 points in 20 playoff games. Sivertson is committed to St. Cloud State University in 2027-28. Sivertson plays with a shoot-first mentality, something that is greatly needed in Vegas, particularly following the trade of Dorofeyev. Sivertson isn’t close to joining the big club, but goal-scoring is always a a valuable commodity. He has a powerful shot and a quick release, though he’s also a very effective passer. His high hockey IQ and gritty style are other positive qualities of his game. Elite Prospects: Sivertson is an NHL-level shooter, catching pucks and instantly firing with power, no dust-off required. Even more impressive is his passing touch, as he finds teammates across the slot with one-touch feeds, makes tons of plays off the wall, and quickly manipulates the nearest defender before passing through them. The biggest weakness in his game is skating, particularly when getting back defensively. Ryan Ma of Dobber Prospects: He handles difficult passes well, protects pucks through pressure, and can distribute quickly in tight areas to create space for teammates. In possession, he is comfortable working in traffic, using patience and soft hands to navigate into the high slot where he can attack with shot fakes and quick releases. His off-puck movement helps him find pockets of space, and his shot from the high slot is quick, accurate, and a clear strength. Skating is the main concern, limiting his forechecking effectiveness and causing issues defensively when tracking back. How his puck game translates against faster competition remains an open question. No. 159 — Will McLaughlin, D, Portland Winterhawks (WHL) McLaughlin is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound left-shot defenseman with offensive upside and excellent skating ability. He recorded nine goals and 30 points in 68 games with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL last season but managed zero points and a minus-nine rating in four playoff games. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic said McLaughlin played on both special teams units but said there are several areas of improvement McLaughlin will need to address: He also featured on both the power play and penalty kill. He’s a rangy, mobile two-way D who made some skill plays one-on-one this year and walks the line with confidence (including under pressure). He has offensive smarts and offensive instincts. His shot doesn’t have a ton of pop, and I know it’s something he has worked on, but he also needs to do a ton of work in the gym, and there are things (the shot, more power in his stride, winning more battles) that will come when he does. Elite Prospects: An agile, smooth mover, McLaughlin shakes pressure with heel-to-heel skating and tight turns, adding in some quick handling fakes. He’s a space manager offensively, drawing pressure and kicking the puck out of the flanks. With his agility, he shifts across the top of the zone to look for shooting lanes, aiming for deflections and regularly threads shots through heavy traffic. McLaughlin is committed to Colorado College for 2026-27, making him Vegas’ fourth straight selection bound for the NCAA (Wilmott, Burick, Sivertson). Pick No. 159 never looked so golden. ⚔️ @GoldenKnights | #VegasBorn | @pdxwinterhawks | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/hxyfBJJK8K — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 27, 2026 No. 191 — Matthew Minchak, G, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) Minchak went 12-12-3 with a 2.91 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and one shutout in 30 games last year for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL. He had less success in the playoffs, however, going 0-1-0 with a 3.20 GAA and .911 save percentage in three appearances. Minchak is a large goaltender, standing at 6-foot-5 with a 194-pound frame. He tracks the puck well, plays with composure and is able to move well laterally despite his size. Considered a project, Brock Otten of McKeen’s Hockey believes Minchak’s comp is Matt Murray: What a find Minchak was for the Frontenacs; a free agent signing out of the U.S. AAA loop. I’ve made the comparison to former Soo Greyhound Matt Murray a few times this year and I think it’s appropriate. He could end up being a quality NHL netminding prospect. Neutral Zone considers size to be Minchak’s greatest asset. He fills the net naturally and does not need to overextend to make saves, and when he is square and set, he is difficult to beat cleanly. His positional play and tracking allow him to control first touches effectively, and his goals against are in line with expected metrics, meaning he is not giving up soft goals. However, Neutral Zone also referenced many areas of improvement for the 19-year-old: However, there are still notable areas of concern that limit his projection: despite his size, he can play too deep in his crease, relying on his frame rather than challenging shooters, which can expose the net, and his puck play is a weakness, limiting his ability to create transition or aid breakouts. Additionally, while he tracks well, his rebound control can be inconsistent, particularly on shots from distance, leading to second-chance opportunities from the low slot, and his overall athleticism and explosiveness are average rather than dynamic, which may limit his ability to recover on NHL caliber shooters. While his .910 save percentage is respectable, it does not separate him from peers, and he has yet to demonstrate elite performance in high-danger situations. Overall, Minchak has the size, tracking ability, and baseline consistency to warrant NHL draft consideration, and I do believe he has a pathway to becoming an NHL goaltender, but I believe it will take time. For me he projects as a longer-term development goalie whose ceiling will depend on improving crease depth management, puck handling, and rebound control to complement his natural size advantage. The native of Cranford, New Jersey is committed to Colgate University for the upcoming season. Milestone moment for Minchak ✅ Matthew Minchak stopped all 34 shots he faced in last night’s @KingstonFronts victory to record his first career #OHL shutout. @FloHockey pic.twitter.com/EEr39kRMrU — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 15, 2025 No. 207 — Noel Pakarinen, F, Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga) Pakarinen is the second Finnish player selected by Vegas in 2026 after the Golden Knights drafted Piiparinen in the first round. Pakarinen split his time between Kiekko-Espoo’s senior level (Liiga) and junior level (U20 SM-sarja) leagues last season. He recorded 13 goals and 30 points in 31 games for the U20 club, adding four goals and 10 points in 15 postseason games. As a 17-year-old, Pakarinen tallied one assist and finished with a minus-four rating in nine games with the big club. Pakarinen has a great shot as well as strong instincts away from the puck, allowing him to find scoring areas and create chances for his teammates. He uses his frame to excel on the forecheck, forcing turnovers and converting those to scoring chances. He possesses a strong finishing touch and has middle-six upside. Elite Prospects: In addition, he brings some power forward qualities, leveraging his 200-pound frame to outmuscle opponents from pucks and provide heavy hits on the forecheck. Andrew Epps of Dobber Prospects: Pakarinen is the steadiest mid-round profile in a deep Finnish class, and the appeal is a forechecking game that already produces. He posted 30 points in 31 U20 SM-sarja games for Kiekko-Espoo, near a point per game, and earned a Liiga debut in December at 17, rare exposure for a draft-eligible Finn. The tools are the kind that travel. He uses his 6-2 frame and strong lateral mobility to stay square to puck carriers and force turnovers, then reads the play quickly after retrievals and turns takeaways into chances in the slot rather than cycling for its own sake. His 30 penalty minutes next to those 30 points tell the story of a player who grinds the boards and absorbs contact without crossing the line. There’s a real finishing touch underneath the work. Pakarinen will join for Michigan Tech in the 2027-28 season. When all was said and done, the Golden Knights added seven players to the organization, performing a much-needed restocking of the cupboard. Round 1 — D: Juho Piiparinen (No. 29) Round 2 — Forfeited pick Round 3 — F: Ben Wilmott (No. 92) Round 3 — D: Sean Burick (No. 95) Round 4 — F: Jonah Sivertson (No. 113) Round 5 — D: Will McLaughlin (No. 159) Round 6 — G: Matthew Minchak (No. 191) Round 7 — F: Noel Pakarinen (No. 207)