Golden Knights sign first-rounder to entry-level contract

The Vegas Golden Knights signed first-round draft pick Juho Piiparinen to a three-year entry-level contract, general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced on Wednesday. The 17-year-old defenseman became the seventh first-round selection in franchise history to sign with the organization after being chosen with the 29th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Piiparinen’s three-year entry-level contract carries NHL salaries of $922,500, $967,500 and $1.0125 million over its three seasons, according to PuckPedia. The agreement also includes signing bonuses of $102,500, $107,500 and $112,500, while his AHL salary is set at $87,500 each season. The deal does not include performance bonuses.

A right-shot defenseman from Lahti, Finland, Piiparinen spent most of the 2025-26 season with Tappara in Finland’s top professional league, Liiga. Despite being one of the league’s youngest players, the 6-foot-2, 204-pound blueliner appeared in 29 games, recording three assists and a +6 rating. He also played 15 games for Tappara U20, producing 13 points, including one goal and 12 assists, while finishing with a +9 rating. During the U20 playoffs, he added two assists in 14 games.

Internationally, Piiparinen represented Finland at multiple events. He played at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he logged one assist and a +6 rating in six games. He also appeared in four World Junior Championship games, contributing one assist, captained Finland at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship without recording a point, and collected three assists in five games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August.

Piiparinen recently participated in the Golden Knights’ development camp following the draft. The draft choice used to select him changed hands several times before reaching Vegas, previously belonging to the Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks.

Piiparinen is expected to continue his development with Tappara during the 2026-27 season.