The fact that camp is already over is crazy! We did so much in such a short period of time, and I feel like I’ve learned so many things that are going to make me a better hockey player. Walking around City National Arena and seeing the pictures of Mark Stone and Jack Eichel holding the Stanley Cup above their heads is so inspirational. Reality has started to set in that this is the NHL and if I continue to work toward that goal, anything is possible.
When I got here, one of the first things that the staff told us about was the visit to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada to serve lunch to people going through hard times. I was with a few teammates loading trays up with food and it was so cool to be able to do that and see the smiles on people’s faces. Being active in the community is something that’s really important to the Golden Knights organization and I’m super happy to help out.
Everything we’ve done here has been as a group and that’s been so awesome. The camaraderie around the rink and away from it is something I’ll take with me. You never know who will become a life-long friend, right? Whether it’s chatting while we catch our breath after a drill or sitting down for dinner after a long day, these guys are awesome and being part of this group is so fun.
Part of what we learned this week was how to dial in our nutrition throughout the season. What to eat, what not to eat, things like that. I’ve become a bit of a cook myself and I’m pretty good at making my go-to pregame meal of chicken, pasta with some red sauce and a bit of broccoli. Pretty simple. Not as good as the food the chefs made for us all week though!
On Wednesday night we all went to see “O” from Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio. That was an awesome experience. I was sitting there enjoying the show but also thinking to myself ‘these people have to be in unbelievable shape to do what they’re doing.’ It was very much what you imagine when you think of Vegas, and it was so cool to see.
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is the conversations I’ve had with coaches and team personnel about my game and how the Golden Knights approach everything. I had an awesome conversation with Joel Ward the other day about his experiences in hockey, his journey and the way he battled to get where he is. He’s inspirational. Meeting with the player development staff have been great too because they know the little details of the game so well and showed us some of the things that guys like Eichel and William Karlsson do that just become second nature when you’re a pro.
I didn’t really have any expectations when I came to camp – I didn’t have much time to come up with them since I was only drafted on Saturday. It’s been such a whirlwind so I’ve just tried to learn as much as I can while also having one of the best weeks of my life. There are so many pointers the staff gave me that I’m so excited to work on next season and come back to this camp next year as an even better player. I hope all VGK fans enjoy the rest of the summer, and I look forward to seeing you again down the road!
-Alex
