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Fleury's Cup Plans; Engelland's Restaurants; Garrison's Fave Coldplay Song

July 9, 2017, 5:58 AM ET [6 Comments]
Sheng Peng
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The morning after the Expansion Draft, Reid Duke, Deryk Engelland, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jason Garrison, and Brayden McNabb met media at The Armory, the Golden Knights' team store. Later that afternoon, Fleury and Duke participated in a local street hockey clinic.

So what are Fleury's plans for his day with the Cup? According to Engelland, how has youth hockey grown in Las Vegas? What is Garrison's favorite Coldplay song? And what is McNabb going to work on over the summer -- and will the Kings let him?

All this and more are here, along with long-time Las Vegas resident Engelland's local restaurant recommendations!

Reid Duke

HockeyBuzz: As the first player signed by the Golden Knights, you've been participating in these community outreach events for a while. From your point of view, why is connecting with the community so important?

Reid Duke: It's so fun to interact with the kids and build a relationship off the ice. Because you're building a fanbase, especially with us, from the ground up. It's so important to build that relationship. It brings you back to being a kid and how much you loved the game when you were younger.

Deryk Engelland

HockeyBuzz: You played in Las Vegas over a decade ago and you reside here now. Can you tell me about how the youth hockey scene has changed over the last decade?

Deryk Engelland: It's a lot bigger now. I was there last weekend at the junior tryouts. Even that -- from four or five years ago -- it's to another level now.

HB: Why has it grown so much?

DE: I think the availability of ice. The [Las Vegas] Ice Center and the Fiesta right now. Our practice rink will be another spot.

Obviously, there's a lot of people from different states. Different countries here that are a little more hockey-oriented.

HB: Before you agreed to sign with the Golden Knights, did Bill Foley or George McPhee talk to you about the importance of taking some extra time to try to connect with this community that isn't too familiar with the game?

DE: They haven't really personally talked to me. But following the interviews with George and Bill, you know how much that means to them, getting out to the community. Being a Las Vegan native now, you want it to grow. So I've been out in the community, trying to do as much as I can. Anything I can do to help grow.

HB: Have you gotten to talk to Glen Gulutzan yet about returning to Vegas? (HockeyBuzz note: Gultuzan was Engelland's head coach with the Wranglers and the Flames last season.)

DE: I haven't talked to him. I gotta call him. My phone's been blowing up the last 12 hours. I gotta make a few phone calls. Thank the Calgary organization and Gully. He was there when I started. Last year in Calgary was great. He's been a big part of my career -- he's a good friend too.

HB: You've talked about how Las Vegas is more than just the Strip. What's the first place that you're going to tell your teammates to go to or see that represents your Vegas?

DE: As in restaurants?

Reporter: Strip club?

DE: I'm not very big into that stuff. (laughs) Restaurants and stuff, you're going to throw out your favorite ones. We're big fans of Vintner Grill. Honey Salt. Herbs & Rye. So many good places to eat that aren't on the Strip.

Take guys to Red Rock. Mount Charleston. Great spots to go, get away from the city, hike. There's so much to see and do around the city that people don't really know.

HB: What's your favorite Marc-Andre Fleury prank?

DE: (laughs) God. I'll have to think about that one. There's a lot of them.

Marc-Andre Fleury

HockeyBuzz: This was especially important over your last couple seasons and it matters coming into a brand-new situation -- what's the secret behind a harmonious starter-backup relationship?

Marc-Andre Fleury: (laughs) I don't know. I've never really had any problems or fights with other goalies on my team. We play on the same team, our goal is to win. If I can help the other guy, if he can help me out, that's great. That's for the benefit of the team. That's what matters the most.

HB: What were some of the best questions that you got from the kids?

MAF: I think they were pretty shy. Most of them just asked about shooting the ball. Just holding the stick right, in the right position.

HB: It was an interesting position for you to be in, showing the kids how to score. How many goals did you score over your career?

MAF: I was just a kid when I started. I was a goalie, I think, by my second year. So I didn't score many goals. I think that's why I wanted to play goalie. Because I didn't score, right? (laughs)

HB: What are your plans for the Cup?

MAF: Take it to my hometown. Share with people in my town and my family and friends.

HB: About 15 years ago, you were drafted number-one overall. Could hyou have imagined this day? Teaching kids how to play hockey in Las Vegas, it's 115 degrees outside.

MAF: (laughs) I'm really thankful for my career. Once you get drafted, it's nice, but my dream was to play in the NHL. I was so happy to make it. I never thought further, right? I just tried to enjoy every moment of it. I'm lucky to still be around, having the second chapter to my career coming here.

Jason Garrison

HockeyBuzz: You're one of the few who has played against Vadim Shipachyov. What can you tell us about him? (HB note: Garrison played against Shipachyov in the 2014 World Championships.)

Jason Garrison: A little bit. Definitely, he's very highly skilled. Sometimes, it's tough to really get a grasp when you play somebody a limited amount of time.

HB: I know it's early, but have you talked to Gerard Gallant at all about your role? Are you hoping to get more power play time than you did last year in Tampa Bay?

JG: I'm just happy to be here. Honestly, it's one of those things where whatever role that they give me, you have to accept it and play to the best of your ability.

HB: Did you hear that Trevor Van Riemsdyk got traded this morning?

JG: I did. I heard that on the drive over. I mean, it's definitely an interesting time. I don't think in this generation of players, nobody's really seen an expansion draft.

HB: Between you and me, are you happy with one down in this "American Gladiators" between Vegas defensemen?

JG: (laughs) Yeah, you see this throughout the league, where guys are traded team to team within a day. It's just kind of the way the world of hockey works a little bit. Not much you can do. It's part of the business.

HB: What kind of game do you bring to Vegas?

JG: I like to think I'm a two-way player. Definitely focus on keeping the puck out of the net. Trying to get the puck into the forwards' hands as quick and clean as possible. I think when you can spend as little time [as possible] in your own end, that's usually a good thing. That's kind of what my mentality always is.

HB: You mentioned last night that you've been to T-Mobile Arena for a Coldplay concert. What's your favorite Coldplay song? How was the concert?

JG: That's a good one. I like...[Chris Martin] has so many good songs. But I like a lot of the slow, acoustic songs, when he breaks it down either on the piano or the guitar.

It was one of the best concerts I've seen. It was very cool. Because I think they usually play in stadiums. So this was one of the smaller venues for them.

He went from the first second to the last second without any break. It was crazy. He was high-energy and sang for two hours [straight]. I was with a group of like 10 people and everybody was like...jaws were dropped. They couldn't believe how much energy he gave out to the crowd.

Brayden McNabb

HockeyBuzz: Did all the booing of Los Angeles last night make you laugh?

Brayden McNabb: (laughs) Yeah, a little bit. You expect that. You're a rival now.

HB: What's your message for Kings fans?

BM: Thank you for the support over the last three years there. Amazing fans. I had an unbelievable time there. Built a lot of relationships. I'm very grateful for the three years that I was there.

HB: Any relationships in particular that you'll miss?

BM: Yeah. My roommate for three years, Andy Andreoff. It'll be a tough one. There's just so many guys. We were a tight-knit group.

HB: You're the youngest Golden Knights player here [at this media session]. There are still things for you to work on with your game. What will you work on this summer?

BM: For me, for my whole career, it's always been getting faster. More powerful in my skating. I'm obviously physical and can move the puck pretty well. So it's always working on my footspeed. It's going to be there for my whole career, so it's just something I have to work at.

HB: Will you work with Dave Cruikshank? (HB note: Cruikshank is the Kings' skating coach.)

BM: Yeah, I'm going to try. I don't know if the Kings will let me now. So it's kind of a sticky situation. I had it scheduled to go there in July. I don't know if it's going to work. But I would like to.
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