Zach Dean:
Vegas' 2021 first-round pick got his season started in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In nine games played, he has recorded a point-per-game (4 G, 5 A) with the Gatineau Olympiques. With Dean joining the Gatineau lineup, he will look to be a key contributor for the team on both sides of the puck as a top player in the league.
It's been an eventful December for Dean as he signed his entry-level contract with the Golden Knights. In addition, he was named to Team Canada's World Junior Championships selection camp. Dean will continue the rest of the 2021-22 season developing in the QMJHL and he will have an opportunity to showcase his game at the most coveted junior tournaments this winter.
Lukas Cormier:
Cormier continues to find himself on scoresheets night in and night out for Charlottetown of the QMJHL. He is currently third on his team in scoring through 26 games with 36 points (13 G, 23 A). This includes his five game-winning goals, which is tied for first in the QMJHL.
The young defenseman is joining Zach Dean as he was recently named to Team Canada's selection camp for the World Junior Championships.
Jakub Demek:
Demek is another 2021 draft selection of the Golden Knights (4th round, 128th overall) who has been highly productive for his junior team. After coming over from Slovakia this year to play in the Western Hockey League (WHL), the 18-year-old winger has produced offensively for the Edmonton Oil Kings. In 25 games played, he has totaled 29 points (11 G, 18 A) which is second on his team.
Demek will also represent his country of Slovakia in the World Junior Championships later in December and will hope to slot into the top-6 for his squad.
Jakub Brabenec:
Brabenec is another 2021 draft choice of Vegas (4th round, 102nd overall). The young forward is playing his first season in North America in the QMJHL with the Charlottetown Islanders with fellow prospect, Lukas Cormier. Brabenec has played 26 games and has tallied 29 points (9 G, 20 A). He is a key piece to the forward group on an explosive scoring team.
Like other fellow members of his draft class, he will join his national team on Czech Republic's preliminary World Junior Championship roster.
Jesper Vikman:
The Golden Knights have plenty of organizational goalie depth, and Jesper Vikman is a key component to that. A 2020 draft pick of Vegas (5th round, 125th overall), Vikman has earned himself an 11-4-1 record with a .906 save percentage to go with a 3.06 goals against-average for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. This is his first season playing in North America since coming over from Sweden and continues find comfort and improve on the smaller ice service - something that can be particularly challenging for goalies to get used to when coming over.
He too will represent his country for Team Sweden at the World Junior Championships in December as one of three goalies the team will carry.
The end of December is an exciting time to follow some future Golden Knights. Follow along as some of the organization's building blocks will compete to earn a gold medal at the World Junior Championships beginning December 26 in Red Deer, Alberta.
