Schmidt set to make season debut with Golden Knights after suspension

LAS VEGAS -- Nate Schmidt will make his season debut when the Vegas Golden Knights play the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Sunday(8 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV).

Schmidt, a defenseman, was suspended for the first 20 games of the season for violating the NHL/NHLPA's Performance Enhancing Substances Program. He admitted he's somewhat anxious heading Into his first game since June 7.
"You're wondering if you've done everything you can do in the last month in a half," Schmidt told NHL.com. "I feel good to go. I've been working for this for quite some time. And I feel fresh, which is the most important, especially at the 20-game mark."
Schmidt was suspended Sept. 2. He practiced with his teammates during training camp and preseason, but left for Vienna, Austria, on Oct. 3 to train with the Vienna Capitals. He returned to practice with Vegas on Nov. 8.
The Golden Knights, who reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, their first in the NHL, are 8-11-1 without Schmidt. They are coming off a 4-1 home loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday.
With the Golden Knights playing their next five games against Pacific Division opponents, Schmidt said they need to get back to what made them so successful last season: playing fast, winning puck battles in transition and, most important, scoring. A perfect example was their 5-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

"That's the game we play, that's the style and the type of game you want to get yourself into," Schmidt said. "If you can continue to build off that, and bring that to each game, then I think we're going to have a great chance to ... go on a run and get guys some confidence and know they can do it more than a game, two games, three games, for a month, and keep building from there."
Schmidt was selected from the Washington Capitals in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He had NHL career highs in ice time (22:14), goals (five), assists (31) and points (36) last season, establishing himself as Vegas' top defenseman.
While serving the suspension, he signed a six-year, $35.7 million contract extension (average annual value $5.95 million) on Oct. 24.
Still, he said not being able to play wasn't easy.
"I usually like to keep myself at an even keel. But it was hard sometimes and it was tough when you're going through those things that I went through," Schmidt said. "At the same time, to have the trust and support in the organization through [general manager] George [McPhee] and [owner] Bill [Foley], to know that they want me here for a while, and I felt the exact same way."
Coach Gerard Gallant hasn't said who Schmidt will be paired with on Sunday. His usual partner last season, Brayden McNabb, has played alongside Colin Miller.
McNabb is looking forward to having Schmidt back.
"He has great speed, he gets up the ice and he's really good defensively," McNabb said. "When you string all of that together, it makes him a very valuable player and fun to play with."
Schmidt will be tested immediately against Edmonton. He's likely to be matched up against center Connor McDavid, the two-time defending NHL scoring champion.
He said facing McDavid is a daunting task but one he's ready for.
"Whenever he's on the ice, it's the toughest assignment, if not one of the toughest assignments in the League," Schmidt said or trying to shut down McDavid. "He just brings a lot of speed and playmaking ability. He's one of the best in the League, if not the best. It's hard, but it'll be fun."