Vegas trades former 1st round pick Denisenko today

This just in, the Vegas Golden Knights have traded forward Grigori Denisenko to the Nashville Predators for... nothing. The Golden Knights get 'Future Considerations' back in return to Denisenko.

VEGAS (February 18, 2025) – Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon announced today, February 18, that the team has traded forward Grigori Denisenko to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations.

Denisenko, 24, played one game with Vegas during the 2024-25 campaign. In Henderson, the forward skated in 42 AHL games and recorded 24 points (10 G, 14 A) this season. The native of Novosibirsk, Russia, was selected to represent Henderson at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in January and was claimed off waivers by Vegas from Florida prior to the 2023-24 season.

Denisenko is a former 1st round pick (15th overall in 2018 by the Florida Panthers) who has struggled to land a regular roster spot in the NHL. He has played just 33 total NHL games since 2020, scoring just seven assists. He'll now get another fresh start with Nashville at 24 years old. You have to imagine that, with free agency looming at the end of this season, it's do or die for Denisenko. If he can grab ahold of a roster spot with the Preds then maybe he can get himself another contract, but if not then I would expect him to return to Russia where he will almost assuredly land a deal in the KHL.