Spencer Knight returns to Panthers from player-assistance program with fresh perspective
Spencer Knight smiled as he walked off the ice after the third day of the Florida Panthers’ annual development camp Wednesday and, with his usual affability back in his voice, was eager to discuss some of what the few months taught him.
Those last few months were, obviously, challenging for Knight. In February, he stepped away from hockey to enter the NHL’s and NHL Players’ Association’s joint player-assistance program, and missed the final eight weeks of the regular season and all of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. Although he declined to delve into any sort of specifics as to why he sought help from the league and Players’ Association, Knight was going through challenges and came back to the ice in Coral Springs with a new — or maybe refreshed is the better way to put it — outlook on his place in the sport.
“The one thing I’ve learned is that I’ve just got to be cool with whatever happens,” the goaltender said. “I go here? Great. If you’re there? Great. This happens? Great. That’s the approach I have to have because I know the skill I have and I don’t doubt that. The skill combined with my physical capability — I think I have tremendous skill and I think I can be one of the best goalies in this league. I’m still 22.”
Everything about his resume suggests he still can be, as long as he can return from his absence as the same player he has been for most of his career.
At 20, he won a game in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs against the eventual-champion Lightning. At 21, he already had 59 NHL starts under his belt. He was a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, an All-American at Boston College in 2021 and a gold medalist with the United States after shutting out Canada in the championship of the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was on a meteoric rise when he signed a three-year, $13.5 million extension with the Panthers last year and then, really for the first time in his life, he struggled. The goalie had a meager .901 save percentage in 21 games before Florida sent him down to AHL Charlotte in the winter and Knight entered the player-assistance program a day later.
The program exists to help players when they or someone close to them are going through mental-health issues, substance-abuse problems or other similar challenges. Knight, even though he didn’t want to go into specifics, felt he needed some outside help and was back in good spirits this week at the Florida Panthers IceDen.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to address anything on that front. I’ll do that when I feel the time’s right,” Knight said. “Regardless, I’m just happy to be here, just have fun and I think that’s the biggest thing.”
As he danced around the reason for his leave, Knight gave some insights into his changing mental state.
Goaltenders are often wired differently than even the most tightly wound athletes. They can be control freaks — sort of like the most neurotic and hyper-focused pitchers — and are often perfectionists, under pressure that anything less can be a failure to their entire team.
Complete control and total perfection, however, are impossible and Knight is still trying to learn that. There’s only so much even the world’s best goaltenders can control and he’s teaching himself to try focusing just on those things he can.
At development camp, he’s the veteran — the only one with any NHL experience — and embracing the chance to be an example for some younger teammates. Once he returns to South Florida for training camp in summer, he’ll be able to lean on some of the best examples possible.
While Knight was gone, the Panthers regrouped from a rocky first half of the season to make the 2023 Stanley Cup Final by never wavering from the plan they had, even when it wasn’t working. Along the way, star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky played like the two-time Vezina Trophy winner he was earlier in his career, shrugging off years of struggles in Florida by never wavering from his notoriously diligent routine.
“That mentality of embracing uncertainty and just embracing, You don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Knight said. “Do you think Florida would think they were going to be in the Stanley Cup Final in January? Well they are, so I think that’s one thing I think I’m just embracing. Who knows what’s going to happen? But I think I’m cool with that, and I think I’m just going to become a better goalie and person because of that.”
For Knight, his new outlook begins with this camp.
At this point in his career, Knight should be done with development camps. He even had to appeal the NHL just to let him participate, given the amount of experience he has. Most of the players with him at the camp are years away from beginning any sort of professional careers, let alone reaching the NHL.
It’s all hockey, though, and Knight is appreciative of just being back on the ice.
At some point in every offseason, Knight starts to long to get back on the ice. Every once in a while, he’ll find himself just staring at his hockey bag, maybe put on his gloves for a few minutes, just to get the feeling back.
For the first time in more than four months, it is.
“I honestly approach it like it’s just a great opportunity to play hockey,” Knight said. “Any opportunity to play hockey is a great opportunity.”
