Viliam Kmec

June 2025 – Kmec played his fourth and final year in the Western Hockey League with Prince George Cougars after earning a contract as an undrafted free agent before the 2024-25 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He had his best statistical season, producing 61 points (18 goals and 43 assists) in 63 games, which earned him one of the six Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy finalist spots for WHL defenseman of the year. The other five finalists were Tanner Molendyk, Medicine Hat Tigers (NSH), Noah Chadwick, Lethbridge Hurricanes (TOR), Luke Shipley, Brandon Wheat Kings, Mazden Leslie, Vancouver Giants, and the winner of the award, Tyson Jugnauth, Portland Winterhawks (SEA).

After the Cougars were eliminated in the first round of the WHL Playoffs, Kmec joined the Henderson Silver Knights in the American Hockey League for three games to conclude the season. Kmec should continue to develop at the AHL level for the 2025-26 season; a late bloomer with NHL-ready size and not much ahead of him on the prospect defenseman depth chart (Lukas Cormier?) within the Vegas Golden Knights organization, Kmec could fast-track his way to an NHL debut should the Golden Knights need to call a defenseman up from the AHL for injury reasons in 2025-26.

Can Kmec turn his breakout 2024-25 season in junior into fantasy value? I believe he can. Will it happen right away? Probably not. He is worth rostering in dynasty leagues. Don’t be afraid to cut a prospect from your minor league spot that you have been waiting for years on. Try something new and put Kmec on your watch list, at the very least. Mark Henry

September 2024 – The Vegas Golden Knights signed Kmec to a three-year entry-level contract on September 23, 2024. Mark Henry