Last season, McNabb became a trustworthy defenseman for the Golden Knights and was relied on at important times, especially in the playoffs. For 2017 first-round pick Erik Brannstrom, seeing players like McNabb keep their cool in intense games is something he admires.
"They play in difficult situations and I learn from that," Brannstrom said. "It's really fun to be out there and play with them."
When Brannstrom's on the ice with established NHLers during training camp, he's trying to pick up on the little details of their game that makes them effective players on the biggest stages. He wants to make sure that he stands out for the right reasons and he's trying to portray himself in the best light every time he steps on the ice.
"You need to play with confidence out there and do things on instinct," Brannstrom said. "If you make mistakes, you make mistakes. You can always learn from them."
When McNabb shares the ice with players like Brannstrom, he wants the experience to be as beneficial for them as possible. As he recollected his first time at training camp, nerves would pop up here and there and become a distraction on the ice. He wants to help calm those nerves.
"Just put some calmness in their game and make them feel comfortable," McNabb said. "There's probably a lot of nerves in their first camp or second camp."
As training camp goes on, as preseason games are played and cuts are eventually made, it's important that players who are sent back to junior hockey or the AHL take the positives from their time with the Golden Knights and use those to prepare for next year's camp.
"Everyone's different," McNabb said. "Some guys need more development and more time; other guys are ready right away."
