Normally, at this time of the year we’re starting to look at the playoff picture and have our eyes peeled on the deadline, but with this unique offseason there are still retirment decisions up in the air. Highly touted free agents remain unsigned, trade rumors have the Golden Knights roster looking unstable, and the league hasn’t even decided what the season will look like yet, so news of a beloved Golden Knight calling it a career still hangs in the balance.
While the assumption by most has been that Deryk Engelland is set to hang up the skates and transition into an off-ice role with the Golden Knights, there’s technically never been any announcement of such and thus he still officially remains an unrestricted free agent.
Back in early October preior to free agency opening, Kelly McCrimmon confirmed that Engelland will not be rejoining the team as a player. Yesterday, chatting with FOX 5’s Vince Sapienza, The Creator clued us in on what’s next for Engelland.
Foley said he & Deryk Engelland are working on an agreement to keep him within the VGK org.
"Deryk will be helping our foundations, he'll be doing public appearances on behalf of the team, he's going to be doing some work with youth skating, he's going to be around."#VegasBorn
— Vince Sapienza (@VinceSapienza) December 10, 2020
This appears to signal the unofficial retirement on the playing career of a player that will forever live in the lore of Golden Knights history.
Engelland currently runs his own chairtable foundation, Engelland’s Vegas Born Heroes and he’s been involved in community relations with the team since the Expansion Draft.
An official retirement note should be on the way soon and then the team can announce his new role within the organization.
No matter what that role may be, or when that note may come, there’s going to be one hell of a tribute to an original Golden Knight whenever fans are finally allowed back in the arena.
**Check out more from The Creator’s interview on FOX 5 here.**
Daryl
Can’t wait…
Dylan
Yeah. He’s a real man. With Class.
Then we have…
YOU.
LMAO.
CLOWN!
Rod Belding
I was hoping he kept playing somewhere to try and get a cup, but since hes basically rooted in Vegas I fully understand the decision to retire and stay there. All the best to Deryk.
Daryl
I’m with you… I’m one of the few who thought he could still play for one more season, and at the base salary he would be a good pick-up. I’m just happy he is sticking around!
Alex J
Figured he was done when he disappeared. Hope he sticks around to continue helping out and making the face of the team a little brighter.