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2022 NHL Prospect Watch – Vegas Golden Knights – WHL Network

With the 2022-23 NHL season on the horizon, we’re putting a focus on current and former WHL players looking to make their mark at the next level.

The 2022 NHL Prospect Watch series will feature some of the current and past WHL talent recently drafted or signed to NHL contracts, and having appeared in fewer than 50 NHL games.

Our series continues with a look at the prospect pool of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jakub Demek
Forward Jakub Demek helped the Edmonton Oil Kings capture the WHL Championship this past June, compiling 54 points in 55 games during the regular season before putting up 17 points in 19 post-season contests. The Slovak center, who was selected by Vegas in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, finished second among Eastern Conference imports in points during the 2021-22 WHL season. Demek was Edmonton’s first-round pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.

Jordan Gustafson
Forward Jordan Gustafson was selected by the Golden Knights in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft after helping his Seattle Thunderbirds reach the WHL Championship series in June. Gustafson, who hails from Ardrossan, Alta., scored 23 times during the regular season before collecting 16 points for the Thunderbirds during the 2022 WHL Playoffs. He was originally selected by Seattle with the eighth-overall pick in the 2019 WHL Draft.

Zack Hayes
A WHL Champion with the Prince Albert Raiders in 2019, defenseman Zack Hayes made his NHL debut for the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2021-22 NHL season, appearing in three contests. The product of Calgary, Alta. Spent the majority of the season with Henderson of the AHL, compiling 10 points in 54 games for the Silver Knights. Hayes spent four full seasons in the WHL with the Raiders, serving as captain during the 2019-20 WHL season.

Ben Hemmerling
Forward Ben Hemmerling joined the Golden Knights organization in July when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The product of Sherwood Park, Alta. appeared in 57 games for the Everett Silvertips in 2021-22, scoring 10 times and totaling 47 points before adding a goal and three assists in six playoff contests. Hemmerling is off to a flying start in the 2022-23 WHL season, too, chipping in for undefeated Everett with three points from his club’s first two games.

Marcus Kallionkieli
Finnish forward Marcuc Kallionkieli graduated from the WHL in the spring of 2022 after appearing in a total of 60 regular season contests for the Brandno Wheat Kings over two seasons in Manitoba. Kallionkieli, a fifth-round pick by Vegas in the 2019 NHL Draft, put up 27 points for Brandon during the regular season before adding three goals and three assists in four post-season contests. Kallionkieli made his professional debut at AHL Henderson during the 2020-21 season, scoring twice in six contests.

Kaedan Korczak
Defenseman Kaedan Korczak begins his second full professional season this fall after appearing in 47 games for AHL Henderson in 2021-22. The former Kelowna Rockets defenseman made his NHL debut for Vegas on February 1 versus the Buffalo Sabres, finishing with 16:37 of ice time and posting a +1 rating. Korczak, who hails from Yorkton, Sask., spent his entire WHL career with the Rockets, topping out with 49 points from 60 games during the 2019-20 season.

Jake Leschyshyn
Former Regina Pats and Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Jake Leschyshyn broke out in a big way in 2021-22, appearing in 41 contests for the Vegas Golden Knights. Leschyshyn collected six points over the course of his time in the NHL last season, while also tallying 14 goals and 27 points at AHL Henderson. Leschyshyn, who competed in the 2018 Memorial Cup with the Pats, scored 40 goals during his final WHL season of 2018-19, which was split between Regina and Lethbridge.

Brayden Pachal
Defenseman Brayden Pachal captained the Prince Albert Raiders to the WHL Championship in 2019, and carried over his leadership skills to the AHL’s Henderson Golden Knights this past season, where he also served as team captain. Pachal, who hails from Estevan, Sask., collected 11 points from the blue line in 65 games for Henderson; he also appeared in his first two NHL contests for Vegas March 15 at Winnipeg and March 21 at Minnesota. Pachal spent four full seasons in the WHL with Victoria and Prince Albert, moving east via trade midway through the 2016-17 season.

Jiri Patera
Former Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Jiri Patera split the 2021-22 season between Henderson of the AHL and Fort Wayne of the ECHL. At Henderson, Patera posted a 2.76 goals-against average and .910 save percentage over 22 appearances. The Czech netminder spent two seasons in the WHL with Brandon, earning Eastern Conference First All-Star Team honors in 2020 after putting up a .921 SV% over 41 games played.

Logan Thompson
Goaltender Logan Thompson is poised for a big season with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2022-23 after appearing in 19 contests for the NHL Club last season. Thompson, from Calgary, Alta., went 10-5-3 for Vegas in 2021-22 to go along with a 2.68 goals-against average and .914 save percentage, earning his first NHL shutout March 30 at Seattle. Thompson won a WHL Championship with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2016, spending three full seasons with the WHL Club before turning pro during the 2018-19 campaign.

Jesper Vikman
A fifth-round pick by the Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL Draft, goaltender Jesper Vikman returns to the Vancouver Giants in 2022-23 after putting up a 3.05 goals-against average and .903 save percentage over 35 regular season games last season. Vikman, from Stockholm, Sweden, helped engineer a stunning upset of the Everett Silvertips in the First Round of the 2022 WHL Playoffs, a feat that included a 50-save road shutout in Game 5. Vikman was originally selected by Vancouver with the eighth-round pick. overall pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.