CHL Prospect Pipeline – Vegas Golden Knights
Introducing the CHL Prospect Pipeline presented by Kubota, the premiere feature highlighting current CHL talent that has been drafted or signed by each of the National Hockey League’s 32 teams.
Vegas Golden Knights
Connor Corcoran
A throwback-style defender who has continued to evolve the offensive side of his game, the 2000-born blue-liner spent four seasons with the Windsor Spitfires from 2016-20, highlighted by his final year that saw him approach point-per-game production in coming up with 19 goals and 35 assists across 62 appearances, good for first in team scoring among defencemen and ninth-best league-wide in the same category. In all, Corcoran’s time with the Spitfires totaled 252 career contests in which he collected 120 points, while the past season saw him try his hand at the pro ranks, splitting time on loan between the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights and the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Comets. A native of Beeton, Ont., Corcoran has also represented his country internationally, helping Team Canada Black to a silver-medal finish at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. A 2018 fifth-round selection by the Golden Knights, Corcoran reached his entry-level contract with the club last June.
Windsor Spitfires Player of the Year – CONNOR CORCORAN
The Windsor Spitfires Most Valuable Player Award is presented annually to the player who is most valuable to the team in all aspects of the game including offensively, defensively, and on special teams. pic.twitter.com/ZjNnVujB2X— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) April 21, 2020
Lukas Cormier
A fleet-footed rearguard, Cormier is a modern defenceman who excels at moving the puck up the ice and generating offensive opportunities. Originally chosen by Charlottetown with the fourth pick in the 2018 QMJHL Entry Draft, Cormier has been a consistent scoring threat over his time with the club, underscored by the past season where he reached new offensive heights as over 39 contests he posted 54 points to lead all blue-liners league-wide, before adding another nine points through eight playoff appearances, helping him to earn a spot on the QMJHL First All-Star Team in addition to the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the league’s Defenceman of the Year. Debuting with the Islanders in 2018, Cormier has registered 126 points across 146 career contests, while his time in the junior ranks is also highlighted by 2018-19 QMJHL All-Rookie Team recognition after he wrapped up a successful freshman campaign that counted 15 goals and 21 assists through 63 outings. A New Brunswick native, Cormier has also earned opportunities as part of Hockey Canada that counts a silver-medal win at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Cormier, 19, was selected by Vegas in the third round of last summer’s NHL Draft.
Congratulations to Lukas Cormier on being named the Émile-Bouchard Trophy winner for the @QMJHL 2020-21 Defenseman of the Year. 👏
Details | https://t.co/g5DxutJQSY pic.twitter.com/qi0rLqYPzN
— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) June 10, 2021
Marcus Kallionkieli
Originally chosen by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the opening round of the 2019 CHL Import Draft, the Finnish-born left-wing joined the club midway through the ensuing season where he ultimately made a favourable impression in tallying 11 points over the final 24 contests. Beginning the past season on loan overseas, the 2001-born forward spent nine games with HIFK of the top-level Finnish junior league where he put up one goal and four assists before seeing a seven-game trial run with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights that also included a lone playoff appearance. A fifth-round selection from the 2019 NHL Draft, Kallionkieli signed with the Golden Knights that July.
The Golden Knights have signed forward Marcus Kallionkieli to an entry level contract!
Kallionkieli was selected in the 5th round (139th overall) at the 2019 draft 😃https://t.co/d8p7R6mQE0
— 🏆 – Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 31, 2019
Peyton Krebs
A rambunctious, high-energy centre, the 20-year-old Winnipeg ICE captain is a constant presence whose involved playing style also includes a deft scoring touch. The first-overall selection from the 2016 WHL Draft, Krebs’ time with the ICE franchise has totaled 199 career contests in which he has collected 62 goals and 169 assists for 231 points. Beginning with a strong rookie season in 2017-18, Krebs pushed the pace among all freshmen league-wide as he led all first-year skaters with 54 points through 67 appearances. Assuming the captaincy as a sophomore, the natural-born leader has continued to elevate his game offensively in the ensuing years, scoring well north of a point-per-game over the past three seasons, including a league-leading 43 points coming from 13 goals and 30 assists over 24 contests as part of the WHL’s most recent campaign in which Krebs was presented with the Four Broncos Trophy as the league’s Player of the Year. A 2019 first-round selection by the Golden Knights, Krebs’ year also included a brief trial run with the minor-league Henderson Silver Knights in which he picked up five points through as many contests in addition to a four-game, end-of-season look with the big club. A native of Okotoks, Alta., Krebs’ decorated international resume includes a gold-medal win with Team Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as well as silver medals from the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2020 World Juniors.
Peyton Krebs of the @WHLWpgICE has won the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as 2020-21 WHL Player of the Year presented by @KiaCanada. #WHLAwards
DETAILS 📰 | https://t.co/wdh2b2Ebxo pic.twitter.com/HOjXQEJQ7F
— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 10, 2021
Kaedan Korczak
A defensively sound rearguard, the Kelowna Rockets veteran blue-liner mixes a physical playing style with solid puck skills. Chosen 11th overall in the 2016 WHL Draft, Korczak has continued to elevate the offensive side of his game while also taking on added responsibilities, highlighted by the 2019-20 season in which he finished with a career-high 49 points coming from 11 goals and 38 assists over 60 contests, good for second in team scoring and 11th-best among all defencemen league-wide. In all, Korczak’s time in Kelowna has amounted to 214 career contests in which he has recorded 21 goals and 85 assists for 106 points. A 20-year-old native of Yorkton, Sask., Korczak has also competed internationally as part of all three tiers of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, in addition to the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he put up three points in five games to help the Great White North to a gold-medal victory. A 2019 second-round selection by Vegas, the past season saw Korczak beginning the year on loan in the pro ranks, seeing 11 regular-season showings with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, before returning to the Rockets where he provided good offensive support from the back end in coming up with eight points in 15 games.
Hey now, you're an all star! 🤩
Kaedan Korczak has been named to @TheWHL's B.C. Division All-Star team for the 2020-21 season.
Details ➡️ https://t.co/5UfXvZAMpm pic.twitter.com/Tla4WbxZwn
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) May 31, 2021
Mason Primeau
The son of longtime NHLer and Oshawa Generals graduate Wayne Primeau, the younger followed the family bloodlines in being a responsible, two-way centre who brings hulking size and power forward potential. Splitting three seasons between the Guelph Storm and North Bay Battalion, the 19-year-old Toronto native has made 174 total appearances at the OHL ranks, highlighted by his sophomore year where he split time between the two clubs and ultimately wrapped up the year with a career-high 33 points in 69 games before adding another three points in five playoff showings. A fifth-round selection from the 2019 NHL Draft, Primeau played the past season on loan at the pro level, seeing action with both the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights as well as the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets.
Preems' ✍️ Vegas
Battalion forward Mason Primeau has signed a three-year @NHL entry-level contract with the @GoldenKnights!#BattleTogether x #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/eZVuwc9CqT
— North Bay Battalion (@OHLBattalion) June 1, 2021