The Vegas Golden Knights concluded the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by taking defenseman Artur Cholach in the sixth round (No. 190) and goaltender Carl Lindbom in the seventh (No. 222).
That brings the Knights’ draft total to three centers, two defensemen and one goalie, all from different countries: Canada, Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine and Sweden.
Artur Cholach, D
Cholach, originally from Ukraine, was the third overall selection in the CHL Import Draft, taken by the Barrie Colts of the OHL.
He is the first Ukrakian player taken in the NHL draft since goaltender Sergei Gaiduchenko was drafted in 2007; he’s the first Ukranian defenseman to be drafted since Maxym Linnik in 1998.
Cholach had one assist in four games last season with Sokol Kiev of the Ukranian Hockey League, the highest level of competition in Ukraine, adding two goals in nine playoff games.
The 6-foot-4, 198-pound left-handed defenseman played AAA hockey in 2019-20, recording three goals and 10 points in 16 games with the New Jersey Titans.
Carl Lindbom, G
Lindbom, taken in the seventh round (No. 222 overall), was ranked fifth on Central Scouting’s list of European goalies.
Last year, the Swedish netminder played eight games with Djurgårdens IF in the J20 SuperElit league, the highest level of junior competition in Sweden. He went 3-4-0 with a 3.02 goals-against average and .890 save percentage.
Given the small sample size and the effects of COVID-19 complications, it may be premature to judge him based on those stats, especially since he was 17 at the time.
He put up stellar numbers in the J18 Elit in 2019-20, going 9-1-0 with a 1.71 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. That same season, he went 3-3-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in six games in the J18 Allsvensken, the highest under-18 league in the country.
Lindbom was Sweden’s netminder in the recent U18 tournament.
After a rough start that saw Sweden get crushed by Canada early on, Lindbom rebounded and finished the tournament with a 4-2-0 record, a 3.06 goals-against average and .918 save percentage in six games.
He is considered a “project” prospect but has plenty of time to add to his 6-foot, 165-pound frame and develop his game, as the Knights have multiple goalie prospects ahead of him on the depth chart, including Logan Thompson, Jiri Patera, Isaiah Saville and Dylan Ferguson.
Lindbom has strong hockey instincts and is considered a fast and athletic goalie. He’s quick on his feet, has great tracking and reads the pass well, though he needs to work on his rebound control.
Golden Knights 2021 NHL Entry Draft results
Round 1 (No. 30) — Zach Dean (C)
Round 2 (No. 38) — Daniil Chayka (D)
Round 4 (No. 102) — Jakub Brabenec (C)
Round 4 (No. 128) — Jakub Demek (C)
Round 6 (No. 190) — Artur Cholach (D)
Round 7 (No. 222) — Carl Lindbom (G)