Golden Knights Pick Up Four NHL Draft Picks, Zero In on Forward Depth
The Vegas Golden Knights completed the final selection of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, focusing on their forward depth and also positional depth…
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MAY 14: Vasily Podkolzin #92 of the Edmonton Oilers shoots against Brett Howden #21 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of Game Five of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Oilers defeated the Golden Knights 1-0 in overtime to win the series four games to one. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)The Vegas Golden Knights completed the final selection of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, focusing on their forward depth and also positional depth with a total of six picks. General manager Kelly McCrimmon underscored the importance of this time in the hockey calendar, stating, “It's a busy time of year for our organization, for all NHL organizations. With the draft, of course, yesterday and today… with free agency opening on Tuesday… this is likely—outside of the trade deadline—maybe even as much or more so at times, the opportunity for teams to make moves.”
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Vegas began its selections in the second round, with Jakob Ihs-Wozniak at 55th overall. The Swedish forward posted 57 points in 40 games for Luleå HF J20 and played a pivotal role in Team Sweden's silver-medal finish at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship.
In the third round, the Golden Knights picked Mateo Nobert, 85th overall. The 17-year-old from Beaconsfield, Quebec, recorded 67 points in 57 games with the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and helped Team Canada White earn gold at the 2024 World U17 Hockey Challenge.
Vegas made two selections in the sixth round, starting with Austrian-born Alexander Weiermair at 186th overall. The 20-year-old forward notched 46 points during the regular season and added 23 more in the playoffs for the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. Just one pick later, at 187th overall, the team took Swedish defenseman Gustav Sjoqvist. A standout in Sweden's J20 Nationell league, Sjoqvist led all defensemen with 11 goals and brings a strong resume of international play.
Director of Player Personnel Bob Lowes emphasized the organization's draft-day focus: “We kind of looked to do more quality than quantity. We had six picks. We just felt in this draft… if we could move up and get into some layers of players that we really liked by using other picks or multiple picks, it would benefit us.”
The Golden Knights now turn their attention to free agency as they continue to shape their roster for the upcoming season.
