A shaken Marc-Andre Fleury considered my question, then exhaled.
In the Golden Knights' first practice after the stunning terror attack on the Strip two nights ago, Fleury carefully weighed his answers to some unanswerable questions.
HockeyBuzz: Glad to see you're alright. Your family okay? Everything's fine?
Marc-Andre Fleury: Yeah, we're very fortunate to be safe.
HB: Where were you when you first heard about the situation on the Strip?
MAF: I just got home from the game. Turned on the TV. Actually, a friend from back east called me. Asked me where I was.
HB: These tragedies give unfortunate perspective about sport's place in the bigger picture. You guys are just a few nights away from opening night. How do you concentrate on your job with this dark cloud around the team and the city?
MAF: I don't know.
It's tough to answer. It's such a tragedy. There aren't any words to describe it.
It's so sad. It's tough to have the right answer.
For me, I'm just trying to come back here and do what I do. Most people are back to work, trying not to live in fear of something happening.
HB: Sports does offer an opportunity to be a beacon of small joy at these times. Can you talk about that?
MAF: Hopefully.
It's such a tragedy. I don't think hockey will fix anything.
But hopefully, people can rally behind us and try to take their minds off of it a bit. Hopefully, we can do that.
***
Immediately after practice, seven Golden Knights (Jason Garrison, Brendan Leipsic, Griffin Reinhart, Deryk Engelland, William Karlsson, Jon Merrill, and Erik Haula) visited Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters to speak with police and family searching for loved ones.
What do sports matter in times like these? Maybe not much, but you wouldn't have been able to tell that, based on the scene here. Each player, at some point, had a beaming crowd surrounding him, and each Golden Knight provided some momentary salvation -- in the form of a smile, a chat, a photo, or a signature.
Erik Haula chats w/ Officer Kory Pierce at @LVMPD #VegasStrong pic.twitter.com/476QETKLwd
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 3, 2017
This is cool. pic.twitter.com/1XSEe5HE7u
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) October 3, 2017
Many thanks to @J_G_5 of the @GoldenKnights for stopping by @LVMPD HQ to offer support. Very proud of our team and their community work. pic.twitter.com/0OXkK3m21I
— LVMPD PIO Sgt (@LVMPDPIOSgt) October 3, 2017
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 3, 2017
How cool is this!? pic.twitter.com/oOWXDdpRC7
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) October 3, 2017
Big crowd around Jason Garrison #VegasStrong pic.twitter.com/sjNcSxWFfQ
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 3, 2017
***
After police headquarters, the Golden Knights went to Las Vegas Convention Center, followed by a visit to United Blood Services. I caught up with Garrison over there to ask him about the moving scene at police headquarters.
HB: At police headquarters, there were people -- from policemen to family members -- lining up to meet you. Their faces literally lit up when shaking your hand, talking to you. What did that mean to you?
Jason Garrison: It's a great honor, going to police headquarters and meeting a lot of the officers who put their lives on the line everyday. We're truly blessed to have them. It's nice to get to know them a little better, and hopefully, get to know them more as the year goes on.
HB: I saw your own face light up as you met each person. What do you take away from today?
JG: It's tough. There's a lot of things that you can take away from today. It's a very unfortunate incident. We just have to realize how blessed that we are, that everybody needs a helping hand some time. Life is short, try not to take things for granted.
#VGK players have arrived at United Blood Center at W Charleston. pic.twitter.com/FweOwzMki0
— The Vegas Roundtable (@VegasKOTR) October 3, 2017
#VGK players with United Blood Center donors today. #VegasStrong #VegasUnited pic.twitter.com/ttaDFXqMFb
— The Vegas Roundtable (@VegasKOTR) October 4, 2017
Fleury and Merrill converting fans young. Took him a minute to come around but young Jack is fully on board now. pic.twitter.com/rXQQBoDJzv
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) October 3, 2017
Vegas United!!! https://t.co/EVri5g6OaF pic.twitter.com/Ix3ptOzT68
— The Vegas Roundtable (@VegasKOTR) October 4, 2017
***
Later, the team released an interesting "final" roster:
Forwards
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare William Carrier Cody Eakin Erik Haula William Karlsson Brendan Leipsic Oscar Lindberg Jonathan Marchessault Tomas Nosek David Perron Reilly Smith
Defensemen
Deryk Engelland Jason Garrison Brad Hunt Brayden McNabb Jon Merrill Colin Miller Griffin Reinhart Luca Sbisa Nate Schmidt
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury Calvin Pickard Malcolm Subban
This followed a whirlwind day of roster moves, which included claiming Malcom Subban off waivers, assigning Tomas Hyka to the Chicago Wolves, placing James Neal on the injured-non roster list, and placing Clayton Stoner on the injured reserve list.
Oh, and assigning Vadim Shipachyov, Shea Theodore, and Alex Tuch to the AHL.
Considering that Shipachyov, Theodore, and Tuch are all waiver-exempt, these "demotions" appear to be more smoke than fire. Essentially, George McPhee is buying himself time to get something for one of his not waiver-exempt veteran assets.
Expect Shipachyov in Dallas by Friday. And while Tuch and Theodore might benefit from some additional AHL seasoning, judging by their strong pre-season performances, it'll be a mistake if Vegas doesn't bring them to the Lone Star State too.
By my reckoning, the Golden Knights have to rid themselves of just one "NHL" asset to recall the waiver-exempt trio. Assuming "AHL regulars" Subban and Hunt are sent through waivers, that is. My guess is one of their surplus blueliners -- McNabb, Sbisa, Merrill? -- is shipped out for a low draft pick between now and Friday.
***
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