First Golden Knight Reid Duke gets call to NHL roster
It’s fair to say Reid Duke’s family was caught off guard by his surprise call-up to the Golden Knights on Wednesday.
“It’s kind of funny,” the Calgary native said. “I was expecting my whole family, but my older brother and my dad’s passports are expired, so I don’t think they’ll be able to get here (for Thursday’s game). I don’t even know what the lineup is yet, but if (I’m playing), I’m sure my mom and little brother will be there.”
Duke, 22, was promoted from the Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago, where he had six goals and seven assists in 22 games. The Knights host the Chicago Blackhawks at 7 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Arena.
The forward was the first player signed by the Knights, getting an entry-level contract in March 2017. He has yet to appear in an NHL game.
“He’s played real well down in Chicago, so he’s getting an opportunity to come up,” coach Gerard Gallant said after Duke’s first practice with the team Wednesday. “I’m not sure if he’s going to play tomorrow or not, but we’ll see when we decide our lineup and go from there.”
Duke’s roommate woke him up late Tuesday to tell him he had missed several calls.
“It’s something you dream of as a kid,” Duke said. “I didn’t really expect it to come in the middle of the night, but I know I didn’t get too much sleep after that phone call.”
Forward Daniel Carr was sent down in a corresponding roster move after scoring once in six games.
Craven leaves team
Murray Craven is no longer in his role as senior vice president of the Knights, team officials confirmed.
“The Vegas Golden Knights will forever be grateful for Murray Craven’s contributions in making NHL hockey in Las Vegas a reality,” a statement read. “He had an instrumental role in the launch of the Golden Knights franchise. Murray’s work overseeing the planning, construction and opening of City National Arena helped give Las Vegas a world class community facility that will be enjoyed by generations.”
Craven, 52, served in an advisory role to Knights owner Bill Foley before formally accepting the senior vice president position in August 2016.
Pacioretty practices
Max Pacioretty was back at practice Wednesday at City National Arena after missing Tuesday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
Gallant had said Pacioretty “wasn’t feeling well” when the forward left Monday’s practice, but Pacioretty clarified Wednesday he had “tweaked something.”
“I went out there today and tested it out a bit,” he said. “We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.”
Pacioretty has 13 points in his past 10 games.
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Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
Forbes: Knights worth $575 million
Bill Foley's Golden Knights, who were acquired for an expansion fee of $500 million, are now worth $575 million, according to Forbes' annual list of franchise values, making them the NHL's 12th most valuable franchise.
The Rangers top the list for the fourth straight year with a $1.55 billion listing, up 3 percent from last year. The Maple Leafs ($1.45 billion), Canadiens ($1.3 billion), Blackhawks ($1 billion) and Bruins ($925 million) round out the top five.
Washington's value went up 16 percent to $725 million after winning the Stanley Cup. The average franchise rose 6 percent this year.
Forbes estimated the Knights took in $180 million in revenue in the past year — the 10th highest in hockey — and $53 million in operating income, the fifth highest among the league's 31 teams.
Adam Hill Review-Journal
