The 2024-25 NHL season has officially arrived for the Vegas Golden Knights as the organization’s rookies get set for Rookie Camp presented by Martin-Harris Construction. The rookies will hit the ice for the first time on Thursday at 10 a.m. at City National Arena. Practices are free and open to the public and timing is subject to change.
After the team’s on-ice work on Thursday, the players will head to Los Angeles for the 2024 Rookie Faceoff, hosted by the Los Angeles Kings. Stay tuned to Vegas Golden Knights digital channels for updates throughout camp.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Matyas Sapovaliv – Selected 48th overall in the 2022 Draft, Sapovaliv saw success with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit last season. In 54 games, he scored 62 points (19G, 43A) and helped the Spirit to their first Memorial Cup Championship in team history. Playing for Czechia in the 2024 World Junior Championship, the forward scored four points over seven games (3G, 1A) and helped Czechia secure the bronze medal. He also helped Czechia to a silver medal in the 2023 tournament.
Mathieu Cataford – After signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on Dec. 31, the 77th overall pick of the 2023 Draft finished the 2023-24 season in Henderson as he recorded two assists in four games with the Silver Knights. Before his time in Henderson, the forward played three seasons (195 games) with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads; scoring 211 points (88G, 123A). Cataford posted 90 points (40G, 50A) in his final season in Halifax and was named the QMJHL MVP.
Jakub Brabenec – Drafted 102nd overall in 2021, Brabenec represented his home country of Czechia in the 2023 World Junior Championship, scoring seven points (1G, 6A) through seven games en route to a silver medal. The forward spent two seasons in the QMJHL before joining the Henderson Silver Knights last season. In his junior career with the Charlottetown Islanders and Sherbrooke Phoenix, Brabenec had 124 points (35G, 92A). Last season in Henderson, Brabenec played in 48 games and notched 13 points (6G, 7A).
Jakub Demek – Selected 128th overall in the 2021 Draft, Demek spent two seasons in the WHL, playing the 2021-22 season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and the 2022-23 season with the Kamloops Blazers. Over his time in the WHL, Demek played 70 games, scoring 65 total points (24G, 41A). The forward also represented his home country of Slovakia at the 2022 World Junior Championship, scoring one assist over four games. Demek spent the 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights, scoring 16 points (7G, 9A) over 55 games.
Daniil Chayka – Before getting selected 39th overall in the 2021 Draft, the defenseman represented Russia for six games during the 2021 World Junior Championship. During the 2021-22 season, Chayka played 53 games for the OHL’s Guelph Storm, scoring 39 points (7G, 32A). Chayka has played two seasons in the AHL for the Henderson Silver Knights, with 15 points (3G, 12A) over 121 games.
Carl Lindbom – The goaltender, selected 222nd overall in the 2021 Draft, played seven games for Sweden during the 2023 World Junior Championship. Lindbom had four wins, a .914 SV%, and 2.64 GAA. He spent the 2023-24 season with the SHL’s Färjestad BK, playing 26 games (17 wins, .911 SV%, 2.12 GAA), and even scored a goal of his own by shooting the puck all the way down the ice into an empty net.
Jesper Vikman – Drafted 125th overall in 2020, the goaltender spent 2021-2023 with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. Vikman posted 17 wins, a .903 SV% and a 3.05 GAA in 35 games with Vancouver in 2021-22 and saw his ice time go up in 2022-23 as he played in 45 games and recorded 19 wins. Vikman made his AHL debut with the Henderson Silver Knights in 2022-23 and played his first full season of professional hockey with Henderson and the ECHL's Savannah Ghost Pirates in 2023-24. He earned six wins with Henderson last season and added seven wins in Savannah.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2024 ROOKIE CAMP SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 12
Practice, 10 a.m. PT (City National Arena)
Friday, September 13
Golden Knights vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7 p.m. PT (Toyota Sports Performance Center)
Saturday, September 14
Practice, 1:45 p.m. PT (Toyota Sports Performance Center)
Sunday, September 15
Golden Knights vs. Seattle Kraken, 1 p.m. PT (Toyota Sports Performance Center)
Monday, September 16
Golden Knights vs. Utah Hockey Club, 12:30 p.m. PT (Toyota Sports Performance Center)
