Keegan Kolesar

Injuries occasionally saw Kolesar move up the lineup for Vegas in 2022-23, but he's best deployed as a fourth-liner. He had 18 points, 279 hits, 68 PIM and 63 shots on goal in 74 contests last season while occasionally seeing time in the middle six. Kolesar fills the need for a physical forward for the Golden Knights, especially with a lackluster forward prospect crop for a team that somewhat sacrificed its future to win the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. He should continue to have a fair amount of job security, but fantasy managers can get their grit on draft day from higher-scoring forwards than Kolesar.

Kolesar became a bottom-six mainstay for Vegas a season ago, playing in 77 of the club's 82 games. The offense was predictably limited (seven goals, 24 points), but Kolesar added a massive physical presence to the lineup, finishing the year with 246 hits, a number that placed him tenth overall in the league. Recently inked to a new three-year, $4.2 million contract this past August, the 25-year-old Winnipeg native will fill a similar role for the Golden Knights in 2022-23, making him an intriguing cheap source of hits in the latter stages of your fantasy draft.

Kolesar became a regular part of the Golden Knights' lineup in 2020-21, registering three goals, 10 assists, 107 hits and 30 PIM in 44 games. That was enough to convince the front office that fan favorite Ryan Reaves was expendable, and Reaves was subsequently shipped to the Rangers in the offseason. Kolesar enters 2021-22 as Vegas' fourth-line right wing, although he's also occasionally played on the third line and at center when injuries have struck. While the limited role obviously suppresses his ceiling, the Manitoba native should be a reliable source of hits and PIM in 2021-22. However, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him to rack up more than 20 points.

Kolesar made his NHL debut in 2019-20, producing two hits in his lone contest with the Golden Knights. He's been paying his dues with AHL Chicago over the last three years, where he's racked up a modest 67 points in 151 outings. Unfortunately for Kolesar, the Golden Knights have two more proven players with similar playing styles on the roster, as Ryan Reaves and William Carrier will hold down jobs on the fourth line. Should one of the veterans get hurt, the 23-year-old Kolesar would fit in seamlessly with the checking line, but that won't give him much in the way of fantasy value.