The Vegas Golden Knights' father's trip stopped by a curling club in Minnesota on Wednesday. How good were they? The Curling News analyzed the footage.
What’s with NHL players going curling?
Edmonton recently held the Oilers Alumni Bonspiel, featuring former NHL players like Matt Kassian, Ben Scrivens and Dave Hunter.
The Vegas Golden Knights did one better, throwing their current roster onto the “other” sporting ice (they call them “sheets”) along with their fathers.
It was all part of an organized dad’s trip where the proud papas, as a group, watched a handful of Knights games at home and on the road.
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The curling activity took place in the U.S. heartland of the ‘Roaring Game,’ otherwise known as Minneapolis, Minn.
Jonathan Marchessault threw one of his first stones of the day with a flourish.
The Hockey News decided to reach out to our kid brother publication, The Curling News, for expert analysis of the Vegascapade video evidence.
“I’ve seen so many of these pro hockey funspiels over the years,” said TCN editor George Karrys, who is currently enjoying the 25th anniversary of his curling team’s Olympic experience at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.
“You usually see one or two standouts, and often they’re Canadian and they used to curl a bit in high school. Everyone else is all over the place.
“I recognized Phil Kessel in one video, he’s got the rookie box slide. He’s all tightened up because he’s trying to find his center of balance.
NHL ironman Phil Kessel looks newer to curling than some of his teammates.“When you watch curling athletes on TV, they’re fully elongated in their sliding delivery, all spread out in a line from their hand to their feet.”
Karrys noticed there seemed to be a sense of calm on the ice at the St. Paul Curling Club.
“Maybe it’s because the dads were there, but everyone seemed pretty well-behaved,” Karrys said. “Pro athletes are competitive as hell, and things can get feisty, even when they’re trying a new sport.
“Some of the best hockey curling footage I’ve seen came just before the pandemic. The Bruins went curling, and on the last stone of one game, there were celebrations, but there was also debate on who had actually counted.
“Brad Marchand get shoved by somebody. Pretty funny stuff.”
The father’s trip ends Thursday when the Knights take on the host Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center.