There were many happy returns at City National Arena this morning, as both Vadim Shipachyov and James Neal shed their red non-contact practice jerseys.
One would presume Shipachyov, who was a surprise in red yesterday, is in line to dress for Friday's season opener, but what about Neal?
Neal's first practice was just last Tuesday and he's yet to suit up for any pre-season games.
Both Neal and Coach Gerard Gallant were unwilling to pencil in the ex-Star for a week from now in Dallas.
Neal noted that he hasn't played with contact since the Finals in Nashville. He seemed to be more focused on re-building the foundation of his game than anything else. "Getting a feel for the puck, doing everything these guys have been doing for a couple of months," shared the star sniper. "Just getting up to speed."
"Don't pencil him in for Dallas," cautioned Gallant. "He's progressing."
"I'm just trying to feel as good as I can," acknowledged Neal. "I'm going to try and feel as ready as possible."
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A born leader, Ryan Craig has been a captain in three different AHL cities over his 14-season professional career. In all, the winger wore the "C" in eight of those years, which included stops in Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Cleveland. This of course doesn't include the back-to-back campaigns in which the 2002 Lightning eighth-round draft pick captained Kelly McCrimmon's Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL.
McCrimmon is now the Golden Knights' assistant general manager and it's no surprise that he brought on his former captain to be an assistant coach. This is the 35-year-old's first official coaching job.
I caught up with Craig, who reflected on a career which also saw time up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets.
HockeyBuzz: In your last year of midget, before you went to Brandon, you scored 118 goals in Abbotsford. Even if it's just midget, not a lot of players can say that they scored over 100 goals in a season.
Ryan Craig: (laughs) Oh, I don't know if those stats are right. There were lots of guys in that league who scored a lot of goals. It was a lot of fun. That was the last year I played with a lot of my friends [before guys moved away for juniors.].
HB: Eventually, you made it to Tampa Bay, making your debut for the Lightning as a 23-year-old in 2005. You played most of your NHL career there, skating with Vinny Lecavalier in his prime. Lecavalier will have his jersey retired by the Lightning this coming season. What's your favorite Vinny story?
RC: (laughs) I got a lot. I was there as a Black Ace when they won the Stanley Cup. Those guys -- Vinny, Marty [St. Louis], Brad Richards, Dan Boyle -- they were the leaders of our team.
My memories of Vinny were how hard he competed. The guy, for all the skill and the size that he had, the effort that he brought in every night, and the type of teammate and person he was -- he's very well deserving of those accolades.
HB: One of the things that was a hallmark of your game was forechecking. Can you tell me something about the art of the forecheck that most fans miss?
RC: For fans that watch the forecheck, you probably think that everyone just follows the puck. And yet, there's a lot of talk -- every team does it probably -- it's a three-man forecheck with your forwards, but also your D are involved. It really is now a five-man forecheck.
Guys are tracking people into the zone. You're trying to finish the hits. You're trying to touch the puck first. And yet, if the puck moves side to side, your D are coming down and you're re-loading over the top. That's the way the game is played now. There's a lot of emphasis on the speed.
But the physicality hasn't disappeared. You have to separate the man from the puck.
HB: One of the highlights of your career was winning the Calder Cup in 2016 with the Lake Erie Monsters. I was at the Western Conference Finals games in Cleveland and the atmosphere was electric, louder than a lot of NHL games. Do you think Cleveland can support an NHL team once again?
RC: Well, they sure supported the Monsters. In my two years there, I think it was great not just for Cleveland hockey but Ohio hockey.
It's a sports town. It's an underrated sports town.
They went a long time without winning championships. And now, we won it. The Cavs won it. The Indians made a run last year, again making a run this year. The Browns are...the faith that those fans have shown in that team, you wish for success.
Can they support an NHL team? I wouldn't put it past them.
I just know that the support they have for all their sports teams there -- especially what we saw first-hand with our run, to have over 19,000 at our final game, was absolutely special. Even through the series against the [Ontario Reign in the Western Conference Finals], there were 12 to 15,000 [at Quicken Loans Arena].
HB: Was winning the Calder Cup your favorite pro hockey memory?
RC: That was for me the pinnacle. Wherever you play, you're chasing a championship. And when you do, you're hungry for more, but you also know it can never be taken away. The bond that you have with the teammates you win with, to see the opportunities that guys off that team have had as they've moved on with [the Columbus Blue Jackets] and other teams is special.
HB: Everywhere you've been, you've been known as a consummate leader. You were, of course, the captain of that Calder Cup-winning Monsters squad. You're now with an expansion team. How do you build that winning culture in this unique situation?
RC: It starts at the top with George McPhee, Kelly McCrimmon, and Gerard Gallant. Personally, I couldn't ask to work with better people, including our coaching staff, Ryan McGill and Mike Kelly and video coach Tommy Cruz. The culture is starting to be developed. We haven't played a regular season game yet, but it's about doing your job, doing the right thing, and about the team.
That will be important as we try to grow a culture. Those things will develop over time. My role is seen as a young guy -- I know I have a lot to learn in coaching, but I have a lot to add -- it'll grow as our team grows.
It's about focusing on the day to day and getting better.
HB: Finally, have you and your four kids found anything as good as Mitchell's Ice Cream in Cleveland here in Las Vegas?
RC: (laughs) We've been to CREAM in Summerlin. But yea, Mitchell's is pretty good. It would be one of Ohio's hidden gems. Our family enjoyed our fair share of Mitchell's.
HB: So nothing as good as Mitchell's so far here?
RC: I haven't tried too many yet. But I'm sure we'll get to some.
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