By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
When Deryk Enegelland was selected in the expansion draft from the Calgary Flames roster in June 2017, he was the new Vegas Golden Knights player who actually knew Las Vegas well. Engelland was a former Las Vegas Wranglers minor league player and had a home in Las Vegas.
Indeed, he was coming home.
The hard-nosed, hard-working veteran defenseman with the right-handed shot was the logical player to give the pregame speech before the Golden Knights’ first regular-season home game Oct. 10, 2017 — a mere nine days after a killer took the lives of 58 country music concert attendees and injured 500 others on the Strip Oct. 1 in this country’s deadliest mass shooting.
Engelland gave an emotional and earnest speech before that Golden Knights-Coyotes game. He also scored a goal in the Knights win that day.
But the fact was that by last season, Engelland had lost a step as they say and speedy young forwards were zipping around him. Not a good thing when you’re playing defense on a hockey team. He was a go-to player for former VGK coach Gerard Gallant, but not so with coach Pete DeBoer and Engelland’s playing time diminished, losing ice time to up-and-comer defenseman Zach Whitecloud.
And on Tuesday, the 38-year-old Engelland said what everyone expected — that he was retiring and that he would serve in a role of a community ambassador for the Knights.
“This is a very proud day for me and my family. When it all started 17 years ago with the Wranglers, I never would have thought in my wildest dreams it was going to end here in Vegas in the NHL,” he told media. Engelland recalled fighting for every shift he received on the ice.
Asked by LVSportsBiz.com about his Oct. 10, 2017 pregame speech, Engelland said it was an honor to be picked to give the speech and recalled his wife helped craft the words on that emotional night.
The Golden Knights assembled video tributes from Engelland’s former teammates here:
Here’s his official new job description: “With the announcement of his retirement, Engelland will transition to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, serving as the Special Assistant to the Owner. In his role with the foundation, he will support the Golden Knights, VGK Foundation and Bill Foley’s other charitable efforts through community outreach. Engelland will attend events with Foley and serve as his representative when he is unable to attend. He will also work with different business units to help further their specific goals.”
In some ways, Engelland was already getting a head start on this new job. Here’s a photo of Engelland getting into a race car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when the hockey player swapped roles with NASCAR driver Kurt Busch in August 2018.
And in June 2019, Engelland appeared at a building demolition event at the site of the new VGK community ice center in downtown Henderson. The community ice center has since opened.
Before playing the last three seasons with the Golden Knights, Engelland also played for the Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins after he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round in 2000.
Here’s Foley press release statement on Engelland: “Deryk Engelland epitomizes what it means to be a Golden Knight. A no-ego, selfless, hardworking player who has an unwavering commitment to protecting those who are unable to protect themselves . . . Since he joined our organization in 2017, Deryk’s service to our community has been exemplary. On behalf of the entire Vegas Golden Knights organization, we would like to congratulate Deryk on an outstanding career. He has made an indelible mark on our city and we are excited for this next chapter, as he stays with the Golden Knights family and continues the outstanding work he has done in our community.”
Here’s Engelland in June 2017 when he was picked by the Golden Knights during the expansion draft.
Please look for bicyclists and pedestrians when you operate your motorized vehicle.