Knight skated at Panthers Development Camp this week at the Ice Den in Coral Springs
Knight skated at Panthers Development Camp this week at the Ice Den in Coral Springs
Prior to this week, Spencer Knight hadn't laced up his skates in quite a while.
Well, that's not entirely accurate.
Knight's skates don't have laces.
It had been a while since the 22-year-old Florida Panthers goaltender had been on the ice, wearing his goalie gear.
His last game action came in late February in Nashville.
Knight entered the NHL and NHLPA's joint player assistance program soon after.
Now he's back with the team, on the ice with Florida's best and brightest at the team's annual development camp.
Knight was selected in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, so he isn't that far removed from his days as a proper D-camp attendee.
It's a great way for him to ease back into the swing of things after his time away from the game while working through the program.
He knows that it's only the first step of his process of resuming his career and is aiming to get as much out of the experience as he can.
"For me, it's not about whether I stop all the pucks or if I don’t," said Knight. "For me, it's more about what can I learn, and how can I get better."
In terms of the long layoff, Knight said that it's actually not that far off from his normal offseason routine.
As such, he's not concerned about getting back to a level that he's happy and comfortable with.
"I take a break regardless, for a long period of time (during) the summer," he said. "Most summers I don't think I start skating until August. That's kind of the thing…I don't think it's unusual for me to take a few months off, from the skating aspect. I still work out, it's not like I'm sitting around the beach all day. But I think right now, it's just been great, and I'm just excited."
Being comfortable with where he's at is key, as Knight is also working on embracing the uncertainty that comes with being a professional athlete and maintaining a level head as he continues down his career path.
But in terms of what he can do physically, the young goaltender is quite confident in his abilities.
"I think the hockey skills and the physicality and the conditioning, honestly, for me, it's not a big deal," said Knight. "I think I come in and it takes me a few skates to get the legs back, but it's good. I think no matter where you are, what camp you're in, whether it's dev camp, main camp, it doesn't really feel a whole lot different. It just feels like camp, and there are good players everywhere."
At the end of the day, Knight is back in a familiar place with people who he enjoys being around.
He was asked what he's enjoyed most since he returned to the Ice Den in Coral Springs.
"I think seeing some familiar faces, the trainers, the equipment guys, the coaches," he said. "Honestly, it's just fun, and that's also one of the best things about hockey, is just the faces and the people. I think that goes overlooked, and when it's all said and done, those are the things you're going to remember."