Brabenec is entering the 2025-26 season on the final year of his three-year entry-level contract, which he signed on December 10, 2022, with the Vegas Golden Knights. In two professional seasons, he has not made his NHL debut. Unless he can improve offensively, he will remain in the American Hockey League with the Henderson Silver Knights (Golden Knights AHL affiliate) for the 2025-26 season. In 110 regular-season AHL games in two seasons with the Silver Knights, Brabenec has 35 points (15 goals and 20 assists). Although he was never a prolific goal scorer in junior, he was known for his setup skills, racking up assists to bolster his offensive production. However, in the AHL, he has yet to showcase that ability. The lack of offensive production, combined with a minus-22 plus-minus rating and only two power play goals in two seasons, suggests Brabenec may not earn a second contract with the Golden Knights in 2026, barring a significant improvement. The 2025-26 season could be his last in the Vegas organization, and Brabenec could be a candidate to head overseas and play in Europe should another NHL franchise not give him a new opportunity before the 2026-27 season. Any fantasy value Brabenec had coming out of junior has disappeared. If you have him rostered in your dynasty league, a slow start to his 2025-26 season should have you looking elsewhere to find a replacement prospect that has more upside to stash on your roster.

Thus far on the year, the 19-year-old Brabenec has followed up a stellar freshman campaign in the ‘Q’ with another strong start for Charlottetown. Posting eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points through his first 28 games played, Branebec currently leads the Islanders in points as he prepares to represent Czechia in the 2023 World Junior Championships. Brabenec continues to project more as a playmaker than a shooter, and he’ll have ample opportunity to create plays coming off the wing on the power play for the Czechs. Expect to see Brabenec spend time on a line with fellow Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv at some point during this year’s tournament.

Brabenec, drafted 102nd overall in the 4th round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by Vegas, has been named the QMJHL Rookie of the Year shortly after being awarded the Michel-Bergeron Trophy for being named the QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Brabenec notched 64 points (17G, 47A) in 58 regular season games played with the Charlottetown Islanders. In the QMJHL playoffs, Brabenec continued to shine, putting up three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 14 games played. The 18 year-old forward was the youngest player (he missed the cutoff date by four days) to declare for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and still has a few years to go before he is ready to contend for a spot in the NHL, but there are not many beginnings better than the one he put together for himself in his rookie year in the QMJHL.