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Golden Knights Top 25 Under 25: Marcus Kallionkieli continues his development

Knights On Ice’s 2020-21 season Golden Knights Top 25 Under 25 series ranks the top 25 players under the age of 25 currently in Vegas’ system. The KOI staff members created their own Top 25 Under 25 ballots. Each individual writer’s ballot was then used to generate a composite score that formed the final rankings.

Today we continue this year’s version of our Top 25 Under 25 series, highlighting the top young players in the Vegas Golden Knights organization. Marcus Kallionkieli, whom the Golden Knights selected 139th in the 2019 NHL Draft, comes in at No. 20.

No. 20: Marcus Kallionkieli

  • Position: LW
  • Age: 19
  • Currently playing: Brandon Wheat Kings
  • Nationality: Finnish/

Marcus Kallionkieli was drafted in the fifth round in 2019 and signed an ELC with Vegas shortly after. He actually signed his ELC before the Golden Knights’ first-round pick that year, Peyton Krebs.

Kallionkieli played his second season in North America last season in the WHL. He fits another category the Golden Knights have loved in both acquisitions and prospects — his CHL team is the Brandon Wheat Kings, the very same club once owned by GM Kelly McCrimmon and that developed captain Mark Stone.

Kallionkieli scored 11 points and just one goal in 24 games with the team in his first CHL season, where he spent some of the season hurt.

Kallionkieli is currently spending the season with HIFK U20 in his native Finland, playing in what is essentially their version of the AHL. He has five points in nine games there, including a goal.

The year he was drafted, Kallionkieli put up 53 points in 58 USHL games. He was very good in that league, much like another prospect later on in this list in Jack Dugan.

Kallionkieli is able to score at a good clip and has the ability to steal the puck in the offensive zone. He plays with speed and skill, and while he needs to work on consistency, he has a high ceiling.

It has yet to be determined if he’ll finish the season in Finland or go back to the Wheat Kings, but his first AHL season should be coming next year. Still a teenager, Kallionkieli has time to develop and continue to climb this list.


Previously in the Golden Knights Top 25 Under 25 2020-21 series:

Honorable mention: Layton Ahac
No. 25: Jonas Rondbjerg
No. 24: Jake Leschyshyn
No. 23: Paul Cotter
No. 22: Keegan Kolesar
No. 21: Ben Jones