Golden Knights draft Lukas Cormier with 68th pick

The Vegas Golden Knights selected defenseman Lukas Cormier with the 68th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Lukas Cormier

Position: Defenseman
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 176 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
Nationality: Canadian

(Stats source: EliteProspects.com)

Cormier led all Charlottetown blue-liners in goals, assists, and points during the 2019-20 regular season while ranking second among the club's skaters in helpers and fifth in points.

The New Brunswick-born rearguard continued to progress after an impressive first QMJHL campaign in 2018-19. The league named Cormier to its All-Rookie team that season after he led first-year defensemen with 15 goals and finished second among them with 36 points in 63 games.

NHL Central Scouting downgraded him to 32nd on its final rankings of North American skaters after slotting him in at 27th at the midterm.

What they're saying

"He certainly has some offense in him, but his game is more about his feet and brain than skill," The Athletic's Corey Pronman wrote while evaluating the top draft prospects. "He's a very good skater who can transport pucks up the ice. His feet allow him to break up a lot of rushes and cause turnovers."

"Cormier makes a lot of creative exits and plays inside the offensive zone due to how well he sees the ice," Pronman added. "Even though he's not the biggest defender, in the Q(MJHL), he showed he can play tough minutes and kill penalties. Some scouts question whether he can be that type of player in the NHL at his size."

Highlights