The signing of Saad and the trade for reunited Golden Misfit Reilly Smith might not have been splashy acquisitions on the surface, but they’ve provided a lift as major as some of Vegas’ most celebrated past personnel coups.

Ladji Dembele, the younger brother of former Rebel Cheickna Dembele (2016-20), signed to join first-year coach Josh Pastner’s program, the university announced Tuesday.

The Pacific Division champion Golden Knights downed the wild-card Minnesota Wild 4-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-seven first-round series.

Mark Stone was coming back from a lacerated spleen, Tomas Hertl was still trying to find his form after knee surgery and Alex Pietrangelo underwent an appendectomy as the playoffs neared.

The poker faces of the Raiders’ brass remained rigid, so much so that Las Vegas’ No. 6 pick might be the proverbial spot, “where the draft really begins.

As the NFL Draft approaches Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a pivotal position with the sixth overall pick.