Remembering A Former Golden Knight: Deryk Engelland
The Vegas Golden Knights have a penchant for having feisty defensemen. From Alex Pietrangelo to originals like Brayden McNabb, Vegas has built out a niche. How did Deryk Engelland fit in and where is he now?
1. Vegas Origins
Believe it or not, Deryk Engelland was living in Las Vegas before being drafted by the Golden Knights. He even spent time with the Las Vegas Wranglers from 2003 to 2005, making himself feel at home in the ECHL. He was the definition of "Sin City Hockey" before it was even cool.
So why not bring him in for three seasons to become an ambassador for the team? There's more on his charitable work in the community later. But Engelland knew Las Vegas like the back of his hand before being a Golden Knight. Along the way, he built a home and established roots in Nevada.
2. Engelland's Stat Line
In his three seasons with the Golden Knights, Deryk Engelland didn't light up the scoresheet much. He only had eight goals and 33 assists during his Vegas tenure. He was an unimpressive offensive talent by every stretch.
But his defensive work? He was pretty good at that, blocking 388 shots with Vegas. On top of that, he tallied 405 hits and 66 takeaways. He was more of a defenseman by trade than another offensive piece for the Golden Knights.
Engelland was even the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2017-2018. Being in the same award class as Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, and Chris Chelios is an honor among itself. But it's something the defenseman has earned, specifically as a Golden Knight.
3. Deryk Engelland's Work Now
After retiring in 2019-2020, Engelland had his sights set on giving back to the Las Vegas community. He started the Vegas Born Heroes Foundation, honoring Las Vegas citizens who went above and beyond in the city. In fact, his organization went as far as honoring a hero every home game for the 2018-2019 Golden Knights season.
The former Golden Knights player has also donated to various communities in Sin City. That includes giving $8,000 to Serving Our Kids in January to combat childhood hunger and hosting a charity poker tournament at the Palms Casino in October. All of this came with the transition to becoming owner Bill Foley's assistant and joining the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation.
You won't find a better ambassador for Las Vegas hockey than Deryk Engelland. The 41-year-old has shared his love of Sin City with the community, giving back to the city (and franchise) that gave him an opportunity.
(Stats provided by hockeyreference.com)