Gallant happy in Vegas, has no hard feelings toward Panthers

TAMPA -- Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said he has no hard feelings toward the Florida Panthers and is looking forward to returning to BB&T Center when his new team plays his former one on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN360, TVA Sports, FS-F, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV).
Gallant, who was 96-65-25 in three seasons coaching the Panthers and guided them to first place in the Atlantic Division in 2015-16, was fired 22 games into last season on Nov. 27, 2016.

"I had 2 1/2 years there and I loved every minute of it," Gallant said after Vegas' 4-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. "It was great and it will be good to see some good friends back there. Hopefully we play real well tomorrow in a big game."
Gallant was named coach of the expansion Golden Knights on April 13, 2017, and has led Vegas to a 30-11-3 record. The Golden Knights are two points behind the Lightning for the best record in the NHL.
Although he was disappointed with the way his tenure ended in Florida, Gallant said it all worked out in the end.
"We're in the business of coaching, and stuff like that happens all the time," Gallant said. "I'm happy where I'm at, our team is playing real well and that's all I'm looking forward to."
It will also be a homecoming for forwards Reilly Smith, who played for the Panthers the past two seasons, and Jonathan Marchessault, who played for the Panthers last season.

Marchessault, who scored 51 points (30 goals, 21 assists) for the Panthers in 2016-17, went to the Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21 after he was left unprotected. On the same day, Smith, who had 87 points (40 goals, 47 assists) in 162 games for Florida and has 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) this season, was traded to Vegas by Florida for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
"Obviously it's going to bring up old memories, but I've already played them so it's just business as usual," Marchessault said about the Golden Knights' 5-2 win against the Panthers at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 17. "We're going down there to win and get out of there."
Marchessault, who signed a two-year free agent contract with the Panthers on July 1, 2016, after playing 47 games with the Lightning during two seasons, said he will always appreciate the Panthers giving him a chance to become an NHL regular.
"That's why I signed with them," said Marchessault, who leads the Golden Knights with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists). "They were telling me I could play on a consistent basis on the third and fourth line, and when [Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau] was injured it gave me a chance to get on the top line and I was able to take advantage of the opportunity."