Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland (5) addresses the crowd before the Knights home opener Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017, at the T-Mobile Arena. The Knights won 5-2 to extend their winning streak to 3-0.
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020 | 10:52 a.m.
One of the original Golden Knights, the unofficial captain of the team’s miracle run to the Stanley Cup Final and a Las Vegas local has called it a career.
Deryk Engelland announced his retirement from the NHL today. He will remain with the Golden Knights as a special assistant to the owner and work with the Golden Knights Foundation on community outreach efforts.
“Deryk Engelland epitomizes what it means to be a Golden Knight,” owner Bill Foley said in a statement. “A no-ego, selfless, hardworking player who has an unwavering commitment to protecting those who are unable to protect themselves.”
Engelland was expected to address the media this afternoon.
Engelland, 38, finished his 11-year career with the Golden Knights, Penguins and Flames with 671 games played, 30 goals and 127 points. In 2018, Vegas’ inaugural season, he won the Mark Messier Leadership Award for his role in leading the Golden Knights to a Western Conference championship.
He was selected in the expansion draft by the Golden Knights and played the final three years of his career in Las Vegas. He began with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL and made his offseason home in the valley long before the Golden Knights became a team.
He will always be remembered in Las Vegas for his emotional speech ahead of Vegas’ first home game in the inaugural season shortly after the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting on the Strip.
“Like all of you, I’m proud to call Las Vegas home,” he said at the time. “I met my wife here. Our kids were born here. I know how special this city is. To all the brave first responders that have worked tirelessly and courageously through this whole tragedy, we thank you. To the families and friends of the victims, we’ll do everything we can to help you and our city heal. … We are Vegas Strong.”
He went on to score a goal that night in what he called one of the most memorable moments of his career.
His work in Las Vegas extended beyond the ice. He created the Engelland’s Vegas Born Heroes Foundation in 2018 to help community members get to Golden Knights games.
Engelland remained a key member of the organization even after his time on the ice started to dwindle. From Feb. 1 onward, Engelland appeared in just one game and not at all in the playoffs as the organization went with younger players.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon came to Engelland ahead of the trade deadline and offered to move him somewhere he could play more, but Engelland refused, wanting to see the season to the end. Younger players such as Zach Whitecloud and Peyton Krebs have gone out of their way to mention how much his tutelage has meant to them as their careers are starting to take off.
Engelland and his wife, Melissa, still live in the area with their two sons, Cash and Talon, who were born here.
