Deryk Engelland may well be in the twilight of his career but he looks set to play an instrumental role for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019-20.
The heartbeat of the Vegas Golden Knights since returning home after being acquired in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, Engelland is without doubt the first face of this franchise and he has been key to the resounding success enjoyed so far.
Taking on the role of leader from day one, the veteran defenseman took it upon himself to build team chemistry in the wake of the Expansion Draft, and he was responsible for cultivating the strong bond that exists in the locker room to this day.
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Not only that but Engelland led from the front and made sure his new teammates were on hand to help Las Vegas heal following the tragic shootings on Oct, 1, 2017. The 37-year-old then gave the now famous and emotional speech prior to the Golden Knights’ home opener that acted as a rallying cry to a city in mourning, kickstarting the healing process and forging the unbreakable bond that exists between city and team.
In other words, Engelland’s mere presence runs deep in the very fabric of this team and that’s why the front office were so keen to thrash out a new deal for their defenseman in the off-season, even though his best days may be behind him when it comes to his playing abilities.
But, a key glue guy in the locker room and loved and adored by the fans and the wider community, handing Engelland a team-friendly one-year, $700,000 bonus-laden deal was the right thing to do and he’s trusted by Head Coach Gerard Gallant and the rest of the coaching staff, which is key.
Although he’s coming off a disappointing 2018-19 season, where he posted a plus/minus rating of -3 with two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 74 games, Engelland still has much to offer the Knights and he could benefit from playing on the third-pair with an added responsibility.
And when we say added responsibility, we mean that Engelland could thrive playing alongside a rookie and taking on a substantial mentor role both on and off the ice. President of Hockey Operations George McPhee has already revealed that five prospects will get the chance to slug it out for one roster spot throughout training camp and the preseason, with Nic Hague, Jimmy Schuldt, Jake Bischoff, Zach Whitecloud and Dylan Coghlan all thought to be in the running.
With Schuldt still yet to sign a new deal, Hague looks to be the frontrunner to earn himself a spot on the blueline come opening night, and being able to play alongside an established veteran in the ilk of Engelland would only help to propel Hague’s blossoming career, as it would for any of the rookies mentioned.
Making the leap to the NHL as a rookie and pitting your wits against the top stars in the game can be a nerve-wracking ordeal, but having someone in Engelland who has a wealth of experience under his belt can only help. The veteran would be able to talk his protege through the game and provide key learning points from behind the bench in-between shifts, which would be invaluable for any rookie.
He can be there to put his arm around the shoulder of his younger line-mate, while showing Hague or whoever wins that remaining spot on the blueline what it means to be a professional off the ice, educating them on diet, sleep patterns, training regimes and how to carry yourself when away from the hustle and bustle of the rink and hockey life in general.
Engelland has been there, done it and collected the numerous hockey jerseys, so he would be the perfect defenseman to pair alongside a rookie on the third pairing, shielding the young stud from high-end minutes in his rookie year. It would be an ideal easing-in season for the likes of Hague or Schuldt, and they would no doubt be a better player for having Engelland by their side as they get used to the frantic tempo of the NHL.
It would also be beneficial for Engelland the player too. As already mentioned, last year was a rough one for the right shot but he still averaged a huge 19:53 minutes of ice time per night, which is a colossal amount for a 37-year-old.
Putting him on the third-pairing would reduce his load, thus allowing him to be fresher the longer the season went on and not burning him out early on in games. Also, by playing alongside a rookie such as Hague or Schuldt, Engelland would be able to let them do the heavy lifting in the offensive zone, enabling him to focus on what he does best which is his stay-at-home play.
You could still give Engelland some time on the penalty kill while capping his minutes to a reasonable level on a nightly basis, thus ensuring you get the most out of the blueliner without him completely blowing his gasket and becoming ineffective.
Deryk Engelland is entering what could be his final year as a professional hockey player. Therefore, the Vegas Golden Knights owe it to their franchise leader to give him the best possible platform on which to go out and flourish every single night. Giving him the task of playing with a high-end rookie and helping that prospect to learn and grow is the ideal road to go down in order to help Engelland enjoy a bounce-back season in 2019-20 and, at the same time, hand the baton over to the next generation.