Welcome to Golden Knights Weekly, where you can catch up on the past week of news and notes and on what the next week holds for your Vegas Golden Knights throughout the 2019-20 season.
Summer is coming to an end, but that means hockey is back. With the conclusion of the Anaheim Rookie Faceoff and the start of training camp, we are turning our swimsuits in for sweaters. The Golden Knights are 2-0 in preseason action and have two more games remaining this week. Let’s take a look at last week’s news and notes.
Anaheim Rookie Faceoff
Even though the Golden Knights did not win a game in their annual rookie tournament, there were positive takeaways to build on. Center Cody Glass turns pro this season after finishing his junior career in the WHL and will look to jump straight into a Golden Knights sweater.
My goal is to be in the NHL. The past two years being sent down to juniors kind of sucked. I thought I did fairly well last year, and they want to take their time with me so I’ve got to respect that and just take it how it goes.
– Cody Glass
Glass has the skill set of a top-six center. He has great peripheral vision and can thread the needle better than your grandma knitting sweaters. There may not be a lot of ice time to go around this season as they already have William Karlsson, Paul Stastny, and Cody Eakin down the middle so he might start in the AHL to play top line minutes.
Another player who made a big impact at the tournament and who is looking for a roster spot is defenseman Dylan Coghlan. The Golden Knights need one more blue line patrolman on their roster and it will go to a player developed from within. He scored three goals and added one assist in the three games, but showed tremendous strength in his own zone and smooth outlet passes in all three contests.
Year Three of the Golden Knights
With the conclusion of the rookie tournament, training camp opened and the Golden Knights are on the verge of their third season. Expectations are as high as ever; with a full season of Mark Stone ahead and an influx of youth, it is Stanley Cup or bust for this group.
Jonathan Marchessault opened up about how last season left a bitter taste in his mouth and how he knows he can be better this season:
I showed up in February or March, and that’s not good enough. I was inconsistent, but I’m definitely getting ready for next year.
– Jonathan Marchessault
Ryan Reaves will not be participating in camp because of an injury he sustained during an offseason workout. He is one of the toughest customers in the league and should be able to jump right back into the lineup with the role he plays. General manager Kelly McCrimmon says he is day-to-day and expects him to play once the season starts on Oct. 2.
Shea Theodore Cancer Scare
After the unfortunate way the Golden Knights’ season ended, it may have been a blessing in disguise for Shea Theodore. He headed to Europe to play for Team Canada at the World Championships and, as happens with every team, he had to take a random drug test. After the tournament was over, he got his results back and they found traces of hCG, a sign of testicular cancer.
Theodore underwent surgery when he returned home and has been recovering since June. He should make a full recovery as they caught it early and he should be able to lace them up when the season starts.
As expansion franchise, all of the players share a bond and are extremely tight. Theodore was afraid to tell his teammates and within seconds of sending out a mass text message, Marchessault called him to see if everything was okay.
I remember sitting on the couch, and my girlfriend pressed send — and literally within 10 seconds, I was getting a FaceTime from Jonathan Marchessault. I’d actually just worked out with Marchy that morning, and I didn’t say anything, so I think he was a little stunned.
– Shea Theodore
Max Pacioretty sent Theodore a three-day meal service so all he had to do was relax on his couch and recover. It’s the little things the team does together that makes them brothers, and is a great sign for success on the ice.
Golden Flight
Allegiant Air is showing pride in their hometown team. They recently revealed their Golden Knights plane and it is every fan’s dream.
Allegiant’s headquarters are in Las Vegas and they are one of the team’s main sponsors. Now, the Golden Knights logo will be streaking through the sky, a moving billboard for one of the league’s top franchise.
Captain Watch
The Golden Knights are entering their third season in franchise history and have yet to name a definitive captain. Though many teams are starting to announce who will be wearing the ‘C’ and ‘A’s for the upcoming season, the Golden Knights have yet to spill the beans on their leadership group. With their core locked up long term, this could be the season we see a captain. Here is a list of potential players to don the ‘C’.
The Week Ahead
The Golden Knights are 2-0 in preseason play and as they continue to practice and play more games, cuts will be made to trim down the roster in anticipation of the season. Check back next week to see who has been sent down and all other news and notes pertaining to your Golden Knights.
