Golden Knights back in action, hopeful despite schedule uncertainty

By Justin Emerson

Friday, Feb. 5, 2021 | 2 a.m.

No one is blaming the Golden Knights for getting excited to play tonight. Vegas fans get to watch their favorite team again.

But that excitement comes with a nagging thought: What if this isn’t the end?

The Golden Knights, who haven’t played in 10 days after COVID-19 forced them into a layoff, will return to the ice at 7 p.m. against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena. As exciting as that is, it’s impossible not to think that Vegas or the NHL is far from out of the woods.

“It’s a crazy year, there’s a lot of unexpected and we all knew that coming into this season,” Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague said. “We’re itching to get back to playing. It’s one of those things and I feel like going to be one of those years that we just have to kind of go with the flow and be ready when we need to play.”

Including the three tabled Golden Knights games, 22 games have been postponed across the league in less than a month of the season, and 90 players have appeared on the NHL’s “COVID Protocol Related Absences” list. To date, Alex Pietrangelo is the only Golden Knights player to appear on the list, and his status for tonight’s game is unknown.

Vegas missing three games, one player and three coaches almost seems like getting off easy when compared with others across the league. This week alone, the Devils, Sabres and Wild all had to postpone multiple games, and as of Thursday the Devils had a staggering 17 players unavailable due to the virus.

It spurred action from the league.

The NHL on Thursday instituted new measures that will be in effect for tonight’s Golden Knights game. The glass behind the player benches has been removed to circulate airflow throughout the arena, and teams are now asked to hold all meetings virtually and to use additional locker space. Players are also asked to not arrive at the arena until 1 hour, 45 minutes before puck drop.

Forward Alex Tuch, the Golden Knights’ representative to the players association, said Vegas players are willing to do whatever it takes.

“Our team is willing to abide by any protocol. We have been so far, and we’re going to continue to do so as long as the league sees it necessary,” Tuch said. “Obviously it’s a little bit different than what we’re used to before games, but we’ll adapt and be ready to go no matter what.”

The Golden Knights aren’t sure what their bench will look like when they take on the Kings. Pietrangelo remains in protocol, as does head coach Pete DeBoer and assistant Ryan McGill. Assistant Ryan Craig, who had been in league protocols, returned to practice Thursday.

If DeBoer is unavailable, it appears that assistant Steve Spott will serve as acting head coach, though that is undecided. He ran practice the last two days and has spoken for the coaching staff in media availabilities. General manager Kelly McCrimmon, who filled in as coach on Jan. 26 against the Blues, has not been at practice this week.

 “We’re waiting to hear obviously on Pete and Ryan McGill,” Spott said. “They’re still in protocol but like Ryan Craig, hopefully we’re going to see them sooner than later.”

On the ice, the upcoming stretch for the Golden Knights is crucial. The time off slipped them from first in the West Division to fourth by total points, but they still lead by points percentage based on having played fewer games than the rest of the division. Still, with St. Louis having won four in a row to surge to the top, Vegas will need to make up ground.

There’s also the upcoming game against Colorado in Lake Tahoe, a feature game for Vegas about two weeks away.

The virus entered the Golden Knights dressing room, forcing them to take a week off from practice and 10 days off from games. They’re back tonight, and all they can do is hope that they won’t have to take a week off again.

“We don’t know if it’s going to be the last time we have a postponement,” Tuch said. “We sure hope so, but it comes down to not only each team, but each individual taking the necessary precautions. 

“Here in Vegas we’re doing whatever’s possible. We’re going to continue to do so and hope for the best.”