Vegas Golden Knights Trade Former First-Round Pick to Conference Rival
It was announced today that the Vegas Golden Knights have traded former first round pick Grigori Denisenko to the Nashville Predators.
Denisenko, the 15th overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft by the Florida Panthers, has not lived up to hopes and expectations in the NHL.
He has played 33 NHL games, amounting to a mere seven points split between the Panthers organization, and the Golden Knights who claimed him off waivers ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Known in his draft year as a star junior skater overseas as a player who displays high skill level and skating agility with the puck on his stick.. a playmaker with the shooting ability to finish chances himself, his offensive kick has not translated to North American ice.
Under a new coach in Nashville's Andrew Brunette, who has had experience coaching hundreds of different players, maybe that upside can be tapped into.
The Vegas Golden Knights made the following statement after the trade:
Denisenko, 24, played one game with Vegas during the 2024-25 campaign. In Henderson, the forward skated in 42 AHL games and recorded 24 points (10 G, 14 A) this season. The native of Novosibirsk, Russia, was selected to represent Henderson at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in January and was claimed off waivers by Vegas from Florida prior to the 2023-24 season.
From a former top-pick to a depth player with little to no value, Denisenko will have the opportunity to redeem himself in Nashville.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Tom Wilson | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Alexander Ovechkin | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Brendan Gallagher | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Anthony Cirelli | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Josh Doan | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Pierre-Luc Dubois | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Victor Hedman | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jack McBain | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dylan Strome | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jake Guentzel | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Michael Carcone | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Christian Dvorak | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Zemgus Girgensons | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nick Paul | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brayden Point | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cam Atkinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| John Carlson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nick Desimone | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 56 | 39 | 14 | 3 | 81 | |
Capitals | 55 | 36 | 11 | 8 | 80 | |
Oilers | 55 | 34 | 17 | 4 | 72 | |
Stars | 55 | 35 | 18 | 2 | 72 | |
Golden Knights | 56 | 33 | 17 | 6 | 72 | |
Panthers | 57 | 34 | 20 | 3 | 71 | |
Hurricanes | 56 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 70 | |
Wild | 56 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 70 | |
Maple Leafs | 55 | 33 | 20 | 2 | 68 | |
Avalanche | 57 | 33 | 22 | 2 | 68 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||