CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight went to a Blink-182 concert, built some sushi with teammates and acquired to see some familiar faces and satisfy new men and women as nicely.
Appears like getaway — but they were being also major steps towards obtaining him again to the NHL.
Knight has been on the ice this week at a advancement camp with the Panthers, the very first time he’s been around the crew considering that entering the NHL/NHLPA player guidance program in February. He was not with the Panthers for the remainder of the period, together with their run to the Stanley Cup Final. The enhancement camp has each on- and off-ice functions, together with the concert this week at the team’s property arena and other workforce-developing functions.
“I truthfully approach it like it is just a good prospect to play hockey,” Knight mentioned. “I assume any chance to play hockey is a excellent option. But I feel truthfully in phrases of my video game, I imagine it is, far too. You’ve received to come in and just work tough.”
Knight has not dealt with his good reasons for moving into the software. The Panthers unveiled past month that they had been in get hold of with Knight and they consider he’ll be with the staff when teaching camp starts off in the tumble — however that doesn’t essentially guarantee he’ll instantly be back in the NHL.
“He’s carrying out very well and we be expecting him again in the fold in the tumble,” normal supervisor Monthly bill Zito explained.
Knight is not the oldest participant in the enhancement camp — it is primarily for players climbing from juniors and the college level — but he’s the only one particular on the ice for Florida this 7 days with NHL working experience. He started out in 19 online games and appeared in 21 this previous season, likely 9-8-3 with a 3.18 goals-from common and .901 help you save percentage.
He final appeared for Florida on Feb. 18, and explained he was taking pleasure in being back on the ice.
“There’s items I’m functioning on in this article, regardless of whether it is your positioning or your skating, (that) I generally say you cannot genuinely replicate in environments the place there is not a construction or depth,” Knight mentioned. “So, this is a person action. … It is exciting to just get back in the swing of things.”
The NHL and NHLPA started out the participant support method in 1996, supplying gamers accessibility to a confidential cellphone line and counselors in just about every metropolis in the league. The jointly funded group helps gamers and their households with mental overall health, compound abuse and other issues.
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