The Vegas Golden Knights made their presence felt on the opening night of the NHL draft Friday, even without a first-round pick. General manager Kelly McCrimmon traded leading goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers, acquiring a package that eventually netted five draft selections.

Dorofeyev, a restricted free agent, led the Knights in goals last season and was a key power-play asset. However, with salary cap constraints looming, the organization opted to move the homegrown talent rather than risk losing him for less compensation. “They did as well as they could have hoped considering the circumstances,” McCrimmon noted.

One of the acquired picks was used to select Finnish defenseman Juho Piiparinen, but McCrimmon’s track record suggests the teenager may be more valuable as trade bait than a future Knight. The Knights entered the draft without a first-round pick due to a previous trade and lacked a second-rounder because of John Tortorella’s misconduct fine.

McCrimmon and president of hockey operations George McPhee are now armed with additional assets to pursue a bigger deal. Potential targets include Dylan Larkin, whose situation in Detroit grows increasingly uncertain, though Jason Robertson may be out of the team’s price range. The Knights have consistently mortgaged the future to stay competitive, reaching three Stanley Cup Finals in nine seasons.

“As long as they are there, the Knights will find a way. It’s what they do,” McCrimmon said, referring to the front office’s ability to navigate the salary cap with creativity.