Nine former WHL players were selected by the newest NHL franchise, Vegas Golden Knights, at tonight’s NHL Awards ceremony. The event was held at the T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The very first selection made was from the Colorado Avalanche. The team finished in last place in the NHL in the 2016-17 season. With the pick, the Golden Knights took former Seattle Thunderbird goaltender Calvin Pickard. He was 91-120 with 12 shutouts in his time with the T’Birds.
The next WHL related pick was defensman Luca Sbisa from the Vancouver Canucks. Luca played in 109 games over parts of three seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Portland Winterhawks.
Cody Eakin was next up from the Dallas Stars. He played in parts of five seasons with the Swift Current Broncos and the Kootenay Ice, playing a total of 238 games collecting 118 goals and 121 assists. Vegas will be his third NHL team.
Another former Kootenay Ice player was drafted by the Golden Knights, defenseman Brayden McNabb. He played in parts of five seasons with the Ice, scoring 50 times and adding 126 assists in 258 games. Vegas will also be his third NHL team after stints with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings.
The Calgary Flames parted with Deryk Engelland who played his WHL career with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Vegas will be the fourth team for Deryk. While with the Warriors from 1998-99 until 2002-03, Engelland scored 14 goals and added 34 assists from the blueline. He was with the team for 243 games.
Brendan Leipsic was a Portland Winterhawk for his entire junior career. Originally drafted by the Nashville Predators, he has since played for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the WHL Brendan amassed 132 goals and 170 assists for 302 points in just 261 games over four full seasons in Portland.
Former Medicine Hat Tiger David Schlemko joins the Golden Knights. He was with the San Jose Sharks and will join his 6th NHL team. He spent his entire three year career with the Tigers, playing 198 games adding 22 goals and 109 assists.
Griffin Reinhart joins the Golden Knights as a former Edmonton Oil King who won the WHL title twice and a Memorial Cup. He played 209 games over five seasons and added 30 goals and 81 assists.
Clayton Stoner was the last former WHL player to be selected. He was with the Anaheim Ducks, making the Golden Knights his third NHL team. Stoner played all three seasons of his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans and chipped in 23 goals and 70 assists in 189 games.
The Golden Knights also traded for former Seattle Thunderbird defenseman Shea Theodore. In his five WHL seasons he put up 58 goals and 154 assists in 257 games.
All these stats and MANY more will be available on the WHLStatsPRO subscription available June 30th! 
