Knights Make Final Cuts, Clearing the Way for Connelly to Make the Team

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

On Sunday, Sept. 27, the Golden Knights placed five players on waivers. The forwards were Jonas Røndbjerg, Alexander Holtz and Tanner Laczynski. The defensemen were Ville Heinola and Antti Tuomisto. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that if the five cleared waivers at 11 a.m. Monday, they would report to the Henderson Silver Knights, the team's American Hockey League club.

Vegas was not alone. The Review-Journal, citing PuckPedia, reported that 71 players were put on waivers across the league that Sunday. It is a normal part of the calendar. NHL teams had to turn in their final rosters on Monday, Sept. 28, so every club was trimming at the same time. While a player sits on waivers, any other team can put in a claim and add him to its roster, as long as it takes on his contract.

The Review-Journal's next report, published the night before the opener, confirmed that the three forwards, Røndbjerg, Holtz and Laczynski, cleared waivers on Monday. That clears their path to Henderson. Holtz is the most familiar name of the group for many fans. According to CBS Sports, he played 28 games for Vegas last season, with three goals and six assists.

After the cuts, Vegas had 13 forwards and seven defensemen heading into the season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at T-Mobile Arena. The biggest winner was Trevor Connelly. The 20-year-old forward had no points in three preseason games, but he put seven shots on goal and skated on the second power-play unit in the final preseason game against San Jose. The Review-Journal said he was in line to make his NHL debut on opening night.

Connelly sounded like a player enjoying every minute. "I'm having so much fun. I'm having an absolute blast. This is a dream come true, for sure," he told the Review-Journal. Head coach Ryan Craig said Connelly was one of several players who had a good camp. "He's checking boxes for the first time," Craig said.

The final forward spot went to Raphael Lavoie, barring any late changes. The 26-year-old played in one preseason game and scored against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 19. He left that game with an undisclosed injury and has been listed as day-to-day since. Before opening night, Craig said Lavoie was skating on his own and progressing well, and the team said it could call up another forward from Henderson as a precaution if he was not ready.

It helps to know what a 13th forward actually does. An NHL team dresses 12 forwards for a game. The 13th forward is the extra player who practices every day, travels with the team and steps in when someone gets hurt or needs a night off. It is not a glamorous job, but it is an NHL job. For a player like Lavoie, who has spent most of his pro career in the AHL, it is the foot in the door he has been working toward.

The same goes for the seventh defenseman. Teams dress six defensemen a night, so carrying seven gives the coach one spare. With Heinola and Tuomisto on waivers, the seven who stayed are the group Craig will lean on to start the season.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

For most people in Clark County, roster cuts sound like inside baseball. But these moves decide which players you can watch, where you can watch them, and how much it costs your family to go. A player who makes the Golden Knights plays at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip. A player sent to Henderson plays at Lee's Family Forum, where single-game Silver Knights tickets start at $19, according to the team.

That price gap is a big deal for families. A night on the Strip means Strip traffic, Strip parking and Strip prices. A Silver Knights game is a short drive for people in Green Valley, Anthem, Inspirada, Cadence and the rest of the southeast valley. And now the Henderson lineup could include players who were in NHL camp just days ago, like Holtz, Røndbjerg and Laczynski. If you want your kids to see pro hockey up close without spending a car payment, the timing works out well.

The Silver Knights also have a busy start at home. The team's schedule shows 36 home games at Lee's Family Forum out of a 72-game season, and 11 of the first 15 games are on home ice. That means the players heading to Henderson after these cuts will be playing in front of local crowds right away.

There is also a hometown feel to Lavoie's story. He is not a big free-agent signing from somewhere else. He is the player who led the Silver Knights in goals last season. Henderson fans watched him score 30 times. Now he starts the season on the NHL roster. For kids who play youth hockey in Henderson or Summerlin, that is a clear, local example of the path from the AHL to the NHL. The player they cheered for at the Henderson rink is now on the big club.

Connelly's story matters in the same way. He is the kind of young player a fan base builds around. The Golden Knights picked him in the first round in 2024. Watching a prospect grow up in your own city is part of what makes a team feel like it belongs to the people who live here, not just the visitors who come for a game on the Strip.

Finally, this is simply part of how the valley talks now. Hockey is woven into daily life here. You hear roster talk at youth practices at City National Arena, in line at coffee shops, and at school pickup. Knowing who made the team, and who went to Henderson, is part of being a local.

Background and History

Every NHL team opens camp with far more players than it can keep. The roster shrinks in stages until only the opening-night group is left. For Vegas, the first cut came on Sept. 21 and the second on Sept. 23, which brought camp down to 28 players. Those earlier rounds sent young prospects and depth players to Henderson and back to junior hockey. The Sept. 27 cuts were different. They involved players with NHL experience, which is why they had to go through waivers first.

The math shows how fast camp shrinks. After the first cut, 50 players were still in camp. After the second, the group was down to 28: 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and two goaltenders, Carter Hart and Adin Hill. Sunday's five waiver moves were the final trim. After them, the Review-Journal counted 13 forwards and seven defensemen left for opening night.

Waivers are the part fans find most confusing. Once a player has enough pro experience, his team cannot just send him to the minors. It first has to offer him to the other 31 NHL clubs. If nobody claims him in the waiver window, he can be assigned to the AHL. That is why Sunday was a nervous day for Vegas fans who like Holtz or Heinola. Another team could have grabbed them. By Monday, the three forwards had cleared and were free to head to Henderson.

Connelly's path to this moment was not simple. The Review-Journal reported that this was his first camp with the team since the Golden Knights took him in the first round in 2024, and that he missed the past two years because of injuries. So this fall was his first real chance to show the coaching staff what he could do against NHL players, and he made the most of it.

Lavoie's path has had more twists than most. He was a second-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2019. In 2024, he was part of what the Review-Journal called a roller coaster waiver situation. The Golden Knights claimed him. Then Vegas put him on waivers, and Edmonton claimed him two days later. Two days after that, the Oilers tried to send him back to the AHL, and the Golden Knights claimed him again. He has played 17 career NHL games and is still looking for his first NHL point.

The coach deciding all of this also knows Henderson well. Ryan Craig spent the past three seasons coaching the Silver Knights before taking over the Golden Knights this year, according to the Review-Journal. He has seen players like Lavoie up close in the AHL, which gives him a clear picture of who is ready for the next step. It also means the line between the two local teams feels shorter than ever.

What Happens Next

The first chapter is already written. The Golden Knights beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Tuesday, Sept. 29, in front of 17,838 fans at T-Mobile Arena, according to the team. Connelly scored in his NHL debut, 15 minutes and 22 seconds into his first game, and finished with four shots, tied for the team lead, the Review-Journal reported. "He was cool as a cucumber," Jack Eichel told the paper. We cover the full opening night in our Golden Knights weekly roundup.

The next thing to watch is Lavoie's health. Heading into the opener, he was still day-to-day after the injury from his first preseason game. When he is ready, he gives Vegas a 13th forward who can score. If the team needs more depth, Henderson is right there, and the players who went down after the Sept. 27 cuts are the most likely to come back up when injuries hit.

In Henderson, the Silver Knights open their season at home. Opening Knight is Saturday, Oct. 3, against the Bakersfield Condors at Lee's Family Forum. Pregame festivities start at 3:30 p.m., a player meet-and-greet on the Tiltyard begins at 3:45 p.m., and puck drop is at 6 p.m. The first 3,000 fans get a free foam shield. The teams play again on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. for Kids Day, when the first 1,500 kids age 14 and under get a free youth jersey. This will be the Silver Knights' first season under head coach Joel Ward. Games air on X 107.9 and 96.3 KKLZ-HD2.

Ryan's Take

I coach youth hockey here, so this kind of news hits close to home for me. What stands out is how connected our two pro teams are. A player can score 30 goals in Henderson and earn a spot in Vegas. A player can lose a spot in Vegas and be skating in Henderson a few days later. That pipeline runs right through our neighborhoods, from City National Arena in Summerlin to the rinks in Henderson. It gives families on both sides of the valley a real reason to go watch.

From a real estate view, the rinks are part of what people ask about when they move here. Families who love the sport want to know how far they will be from a rink, where the youth programs are, and whether they can catch a game without a long drive. Summerlin and Henderson both check that box. If being near the ice matters to your family, it is worth putting on your list when you look at neighborhoods.

What You Can Do

If you want to see the players who were just sent down, the easiest move is to catch the Silver Knights' opening weekend at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson. Saturday, Oct. 3, is the opener at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, is Kids Day at 5 p.m., with free youth jerseys for the first 1,500 kids 14 and under. Get there early if you want the giveaways. Single-game tickets start at $19 through the Silver Knights' website.

If you are watching the Golden Knights this season, keep an eye on the 13th forward spot and the injury report. That is where Lavoie's status, and any call-ups from Henderson, will show up first. And if you have kids in youth hockey, take them to a game in both buildings this year. Seeing the same players move between Henderson and the Strip is a great way to show young players how the path to the NHL really works.

If you are thinking about a move and want to be close to the rinks, Summerlin and Henderson are both worth a look. I am happy to walk you through the neighborhoods near City National Arena, America First Center and Lee's Family Forum, and help you figure out which area fits your family and your budget.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com