Editor’s note: Golden Knights beat writer Danny Webster is beginning his 10th year covering the franchise and third full year as the reporter for the Review-Journal.
The first scrum of the new hockey year took place in front of Mitch Marner’s locker.
I’m standing to the right of the Vegas Golden Knights’ star forward. In front of him is a plethora of microphones, cameras and recording devices. A video of that scrum is on X. I screenshot the video to the right point that shows I am, in fact, a real person doing this job.
I shared the screengrab on my social media with the caption, “Year 10.”
My wife did not react fondly. There was a sense of feeling old, mixed with the realization that this exact scenario — standing in locker rooms interviewing hockey players — has been the reality for the past nine years.
What a time it’s been.
Tuesday’s opener against the Chicago Blackhawks is the official kickoff to the Knights’ 10th season in the NHL. It will also be my 10th covering the written word on the Knights’ beat, and my third full year doing it for the Review-Journal.
There is some truth to the “time flies when you’re having fun” claim. I’d be lying if I wasn’t having fun telling the stories of the number of players that have been with this organization.
Starting with the days of being the little expansion team that could, to becoming the evil empire of the NHL that it is known to be today.
Then you start to think of the moments that made you realize why you wanted to cover the NHL in the first place.
Like thinking you could hear a pin drop on Oct. 10, 2017, in the first ever home game at T-Mobile Arena, as the names of the 58 victims from the Route 91 Harvest Festival were projected on the ice. Followed by the unthinkable roar when Tomas Nosek scored the first goal 2:31 into the game.
And then Deryk Engelland, after delivering the memorable “Vegas Strong” speech, scored less than two minutes later. Before you blinked, it was 4-0 Knights halfway through the first period.
The memories pile on. Shea Theodore’s game-winner against the Tampa Bay Lightning with 2.3 seconds left. William Karlsson’s New Year’s Eve hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Karlsson breaking the hockey world with the short-handed between-the-legs goal that clinched the Pacific Division. All the highlight-reel saves from Marc-Andre Fleury.
All of that, and we didn’t even get to the unthinkable run to the Stanley Cup Final.
The best part of that first year was the narrative that the Knights were gifted a competitive team. George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon took advantage of 30 scared general managers and wheeled and dealed their way to what the team has become today — a powerhouse with three Stanley Cup Final appearances in nine years, and one memorable championship in 2023.
There are too many memories to count. Part of me is still reeling that a coaching change happened with eight games to go last season and John Tortorella pushed all the right buttons to get this underachieving squad two wins away from another title.
Entering Year 10, the Knights say there is unfinished business after falling short last year. For us at the Review-Journal, business is always unfinished. There are always new stories to tell. There are always new ways for us to bring you the everyday happenings of this mysterious hockey team stationed in the Las Vegas heat.
It has been nothing short of remarkable to have told the stories of this team for nine years, and it’s been an honor.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
