Caper connections
Vegas Golden Knights can attribute some of team’s success to players connected to Cape Breton
The Vegas Golden Knights may have played their cards right in last June’s expansion draft, but the jackpot win is still one series away.
When the Golden Knights hit the ice for a best-of-seven Stanley Cup final series with the Washington Capitals on Monday, many Cape Bretoners will be watching closely.
Vegas has four players with Island connections in its lineup this season, not to mention the gentleman who constructed the Golden Knights.
The team is led by former Cape Breton Screaming Eagles star netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, who played three full seasons with the local major junior club from 2000-2003.
Meanwhile, forward William Carrier and backup goaltender Maxime Lagacé also spent time with the Screaming Eagles during
their junior hockey careers.
Forward Reilly Smith and general manager George McPhee also have connections to Cape Breton. Smith’s greatgrandparents are from Glace Bay and many of his relatives still live in Big Bras d’Or. As for McPhee, his father and grandparents
are also from the Glace Bay area. McPhee lived on the island until he was two-yearsold, before moving to Ontario.
Bob Hawkins has fond memories of Fleury’s time with the Screaming Eagle. The Hawkins family was the goaltender’s billet family during his time in
Cape Breton.
“When he came to our place he was 15 years old, he was totally French, and we were totally English,” laughed Hawkins. “When they put us together it was early August (2000) and he learned English pretty quick.”
Fleury, now 33 years old, played three full seasons with the Screaming Eagles, posting 63 wins in 151 career games. He also played 10 games during the 200304 season after being returned to major junior by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted the netminder first overall in in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
When Fleury arrived in Cape Breton, Hawkins didn’t know much about the Sorel, Que., native and never expected he’d be an National Hockey League player.
“We seen him in practice a bit and we watched all of his games and you could see how hard of a worker he was and how competitive he was,” said Hawkins. “One thing I will remember is I know I helped him learn how to drive a car!”
Hawkins said Fleury became like family during his time on the island.
“He’s a real good guy,” he said. “When you see him smiling and stuff, that’s what he’s like all the time — he doesn’t put on anything for television or for the fans.”
After cracking the Pittsburgh lineup full-time in 2005, Fleury went on to play 12 seasons with the Penguins, winning three Stanley Cups with the team, the most recent title in 2017.
In June 2017, the Penguins elected to keep the younger of their two netminders, Matt Murray, exposing Fleury to the Golden Knights’ expansion draft. Fleury was later selected in the draft; which Hawkins believes was a “second chance” for Fleury.
“I’m not shocked by his play at all this year,” said Hawkins. “He was a good player in Pittsburgh and I think if you ask a lot of the Penguins players they would tell you he was one of their best players.”
The Golden Knights have had a Cinderella season in their inaugural
year on the Las Vegas strip. The team captured the Pacific Division title with 51 wins and 109 points.
Vegas’s success continued in the playoffs with series wins over the LA Kings in round one, San Jose Sharks in the second round, and most recently the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference final, advancing to the Stanley Cup. Although the Nevada-based team has already made National Hockey League expansion team history in a number of categories, they will look to add to their resume by winning Lord Stanley’s Cup.
When Smith, a native of Etobicoke, Ont., isn’t playing hockey, he spends his time in Cape Breton
at his cottage on the Bras d’Or Lake.
“He first went to Cape Breton when he was three months old and he’s been there every summer since,” said Deirdre Smith, Reilly’s mother.
“It’s his favourite place on earth — It’s heaven there, you know.”
Deirdre, who’s also the mother of Brendan Smith of the New York Rangers, said winning a Stanley Cup has been a dream of her son’s since he was a little boy.
“Reilly has worked so hard to reach the final, it’s phenomenal to see his joy and his work ethic — he’s just a humble young man,” she said.
Smith has played five-and-ahalf
seasons in the NHL between the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Golden Knights.
The 27-year-old was traded to Vegas by the Panthers last June. In 67 regular-season games this year, Smith had 22 goals and 60 points.
Reilly’s great-grandfather was a coal miner and Deirdre believes her son embodies the Cape Breton spirit.
“His great-grandfather bought a little piece of land on the Bras d’Or Lake and then over time each of his children bought some land — we were able to buy some land, all side-by-side, and now our sons have done the same thing.”
“It really speaks of the culture of the family and the fact that it’s all because a coal miner had $25 and could buy a little square piece of land.”
She said her three sons, including Reilly, plan to live in Cape Breton when they retire and are in the process of building a place in order to spend Christmas in Cape Breton.
“His favourite place is fishing on the Bras d’Or Lake — it’s heaven,” she said.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final will be played on Monday at 9 p.m., Atlantic time.
Deirdre and her husband, Lester, will be attending all games of the final series and will travel to Las Vegas this weekend.
As for Hawkins, he said he won’t be making the trip to Nevada for the games, noting Fleury has to be focused for the series.