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Mathieu Cataford: Why This Golden Knights Prospect Is Worth Monitoring

Trey Daubert / NHL / June 7, 2024

Mathieu Cataford: Why This Golden Knights Prospect Is Worth Monitoring

Did the Golden Knights win the Jack Eichel trade? It’s hard to argue with it after Eichel was the top line center for a Stanley Cup team in 2023-24. If you’re already confused and asking what this has to do with VGK prospect Mathieu Cataford, you’re about to understand why.

The Golden Knights website wrote a puff piece on Cataford not too long ago. For a team that hasn’t produced a lot of homegrown talent, Vegas appears very high on Cataford.

Cataford, 19, won the MVP of the QMJHL after posting 40 goals and 50 assists in 65 games. He got a brief stint at the AHL level at the end of this past season but is expected to start the 2024-25 Season with the Silver Knights. The 5-foot-11 winger seems to have some serious potential and could find his way into the VGK lineup sooner rather than later.

Jack Eichel Credits Bruce Cassidy For Winning The Stanley Cup

So what does any of this have to do with Jack Eichel? Well, Cataford was taken with 77th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 NHL Draft. That pick was sent to Vegas via Buffalo in the Eichel deal.

Golden Knights Acquire:

Jack Eichel

2023 third-round pick (Mathieu Cataford)

Sabres Acquire:

Alex Tuch

Peyton Krebs
2022 first-round pick (Noah Östlund)
2023 second-round pick (Riley Heidt)

Now it’s obviously way too early to say what’s going to happen with these prospects. Maybe the Buffalo guys will turn out well (right now they don’t have much hype behind them but that could change). All I’m saying is let’s just keep an eye on this Cataford. If he blossoms in Vegas it’s going to be absolutely hilarious that he was a Sabres pick.

Side note: The VGK made a similar kind of trade in the Tomas Hertl deal where they also weirdly got third round picks back. Maybe this will happen again here coming up…

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