Golden Knights embrace Elvis tribute during playoffs
SUNRISE, Fla. — Alec Martinez isn’t sure how it fit on William Carrier’s huge head. Carrier wonders how clean it is these days.
The honorary Elvis wig donned by the Golden Knights player deemed most worthy of wearing it after victories has become a source of pride for a team chasing a more famous prize in the Stanley Cup Final.
It also might be getting pretty funky.
“I don’t think it’s fresh anymore,” Carrier said. “It’s been traveling a lot.”
The wig and accompanying sunglasses have made it all the way to the finals. Carrier was bestowed the honor after Game 6 in Dallas. He gave it to Adin Hill after Game 1 of the Florida series, and Hill gave it to Brett Howden after he scored two goals in Game 2.
“The simplicity of seeing one of your buddies with an Elvis wig and sunglasses on is just funny,” Carrier said. “But it’s also nice that it honors someone who has a big impact on the game, and guys are smart enough to know that doesn’t always mean it’s someone who scored the game-winning goal. There are other elements, and this is an opportunity for someone to get credit that may not have ended up on the scoresheet. Or maybe they did. It just kind of changes.”
Many teams have had similar locker room gimmicks over the years, but few fit the city the team represents quite like the combination of Elvis and Las Vegas.
Coach Bruce Cassidy credited Jack Eichel for coming up with the idea during the regular season, but Eichel said it stemmed from a team discussion early in the season. Then he did what anyone else tasked with finding an offbeat item does. He logged on to Amazon.
“It was a pretty easy process,” Eichel said Saturday before Game 4 against the Panthers at FLA Live Arena. “I thought it was a cool thing. Elvis is a pretty good representative of Vegas. … I think it fit our group.”
It soon took on a life of its own.
Martinez, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, said anything that can lighten the mood and bond the older players with the younger ones can be important to team chemistry.
He identified Carrier as perhaps pulling it off better than others, but didn’t want to single out anyone who looked the most ridiculous.
“It’s just different every time,” Martinez said. “Especially guys from different countries. (Ivan Barbashev) got it. A Russian Elvis? That’s just funny. I’m sure they have Elvis impersonators in Russia, but it’s just funny to see your buddies. It’s no different than anyone else putting on a wig and sunglasses.”
Back to the future
Eichel talked about what it was like to attend Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final as a fan in his hometown of Boston when the Bruins hosted the St. Louis Blues.
“When you’re sitting there watching as a player, you want to be in that situation,” he said. “You have a lot of questions in your head when you’re sitting there watching it. What it would be like to be there. Now that I’m here, it’s been an awesome experience throughout the whole playoffs.”
Eichel had friends on both teams, and the series was close to Father’s Day, so he said it was special to attend the game with his dad.
He said the families of everyone in the Knights’ locker room being along for this ride has added to the experience of chasing the Cup.
“That’s what makes it so special, just being around them every day and getting to enjoy it with the people you love,” he said.
It has come full circle. The winning goal in Game 7 was scored by Alex Pietrangelo. The losing coach was Cassidy.
Experience counts
The Knights have often talked about experience when it comes to perseverance throughout the season and resetting after each postseason game.
Martinez tried to put that in more perspective.
“It’s good when you have something familiar to rely on,” he said. “Obviously, with the loss last game or the two wins prior, you have to reset and find your focus. Having gone through it, you’re better able to handle that and not overreact or underreact.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.