Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Golden Knights will receive due recognition for leadership at NHL Awards

Finalists Deryk Engelland, William Karlsson helped foster beneficial environment

VGK Fan Salute

Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson salutes the estimated 7,500 fans during a Vegas Golden Knights Stick Salute to Vegas fan appreciation rally at the Fremont Street Experience Wednesday, June 13, 2018.

Based on the NHL Awards finalists, it’s ironic the Vegas Golden Knights were one of the few teams in the league this season that went without designating a captain.

Leadership might be the most significant contributing factor to the greatest expansion season in major professional sports history. That’s what will come through at the awards show, scheduled for 5 p.m. today at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and airing on NBC Sports Network, anyway.

For the second straight year, the Golden Knights will be a focus at the gala. While last year’s event featured the franchise’s expansion draft, this year’s will recognize four individuals who helped direct the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final as finalists for awards.

Apart from coach Gerard Gallant and General Manager George McPhee entering as favorites to win their respective categories, defenseman Deryk Engelland and forward William Karlsson also stand strong chances to claim honors. And both the players' potential awards are more associated with intangibles than on-ice production.

Engelland is up for the Mark Messier Leadership Award, while Karlsson could take home the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for the player who best exemplified sportsmanship combined with ability.

“Hats off to George and the whole organization for bringing in the character guys they got,” Engelland said at the awards’ media day Tuesday at Encore. “Read anyone’s quotes and it’s probably the first thing that came up from the beginning of the year on — how much character we had in the room. It goes to show here today.”

The hockey world had a tough time explaining the Golden Knights’ success all season. Almost unanimously picked to finish last in the Pacific Division, they immediately began producing above their expectations.

Even once they were a proven contender, the Golden Knights strung together more wins than their statistical profile would imply. Aspects like leadership and chemistry might have been glossed over by analysts, but were consistently referenced internally.

“We always said you come to the rink to have fun, and our guys had a lot of fun this year,” Gallant said. “We have a lot of really great hockey players, great people.”

Engelland was the de facto captain — and one of six official alternate captains — with most tracing his ascension into the role back to his speech in the home opener. But it truly started way before that touching tribute.

Engelland was expected to be a key ambassador for the Golden Knights ever since last year’s awards show, and delivered starting almost immediately afterward. The local former journeyman assisted almost everyone on the roster with their transitions to Las Vegas.

Karlsson said he was among the many players who sought Engelland’s advice on where to live last summer.

“He came with a few tips and helped out,” Karlsson said.

“He’s been a leader not only for the team but the community too. I sure hope he wins it.”

Engelland echoed the same sentiments for Karlsson, including reciting his teammate’s exact stat line and contributions to the Golden Knights’ run. Their bond was evident, as they both spoke more enthusiastically about each other’s award nominations than their own.

The lack of a “C” on any Golden Knights’ sweater this season didn’t mean they lacked any central leadership. They were stacked in that department, a fact the awards show will illustrate.

“There’s a lot of guys that probably could have been up for the same award in our locker room,” Engelland said.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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