CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight went to a Blink-182 live performance, made some sushi with teammates and bought to see some acquainted faces and meet new folks as properly.
Sounds like trip – however they have been additionally huge steps towards getting him again to the NHL.
Knight has been on the ice this week at a improvement camp with the Panthers, the primary time he’s been across the workforce since coming into the NHL/NHLPA participant help program in February. He was not with the Panthers for the rest of the season, together with their run to the Stanley Cup Final. The improvement camp has each on- and off-ice occasions, together with the live performance this week on the workforce’s residence area and different team-building occasions.
“I honestly approach it like it’s just a great opportunity to play hockey,” Knight stated. “I think any opportunity to play hockey is a great opportunity. But I think honestly in terms of my game, I think it is, too. You’ve got to come in and just work hard.”
Knight has not addressed his causes for coming into this system. The Panthers revealed final month that they’d been involved with Knight and so they imagine he’ll be with the workforce when coaching camp begins within the fall – although that doesn’t essentially assure he’ll instantly be again within the NHL.
“He’s doing well and we expect him back in the fold in the fall,” common supervisor Bill Zito stated.
Knight isn’t the oldest participant within the improvement camp – it’s largely for gamers rising from juniors and the faculty stage – however he’s the one one on the ice for Florida this week with NHL expertise. He began in 19 video games and appeared in 21 this previous season, going 9-8-3 with a 3.18 goals-against common and .901 save proportion.
He final appeared for Florida on Feb. 18, and stated he was having fun with being again on the ice.
“There’s things I’m working on here, whether it’s your positioning or your skating, (that) I always say you can’t really replicate in environments where there’s not a structure or intensity,” Knight stated. “So, this is one step. … It’s fun to just get back in the swing of things.”
The NHL and NHLPA began the participant help program in 1996, giving gamers entry to a confidential cellphone line and counselors in every metropolis within the league. The collectively funded group assists gamers and their households with psychological well being, substance abuse and different issues.
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