Knights re-sign restricted free agent goalie to 1-year deal
The Golden Knights crossed one more item off their offseason to-do list Sunday.
Goaltender Jiri Patera re-signed with the Knights on a one-year contract, his agent, Joe Caligiuri, said. It’s a two-way contract with an NHL cap hit of $775,000.
Patera, 24, was one of the Knights’ three restricted free agents. The other two are left wing Brett Howden and right wing Pavel Dorofeyev.
Patera was one of the franchise-record five goaltenders the Knights started last season, along with Logan Thompson, Adin Hill, Laurent Brossoit and Jonathan Quick. Patera was 2-0 in his two appearances with five goals allowed and a .929 save percentage.
Patera, a sixth-round pick by the Knights in 2017, was 14-15-1 with a .911 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average with the Silver Knights in the American Hockey League.
Brisson prepared for second season
Right wing Brendan Brisson, the 29th overall pick in 2020, said he feels as if he’s “not just a kid anymore” now that he’s taking part in his second Knights development camp this week.
The 21-year-old is coming off his first full professional season in Henderson after playing two years of college hockey at Michigan. Brisson had 18 goals and 37 points in 58 games, and came on strong late. He finished with five goals in his final five games.
He said his focus is improving defensively and quickening the first few steps of his skating stride.
“Now I kind of know what it takes, what to expect,” Brisson said. “Me looking in at this time last year, (I had) a lot different mindset than I do now. Pro hockey’s a lot different than it was when I was playing in Michigan or years before that.”
Edstrom’s unique background
Center David Edstrom, the Knights’ 2023 first-round pick, has some impressive athletic genes.
He said his parents played badminton at Arizona State. His father, Mike Edstrom, was an All-American in 1992 and 1993 and later competed in international events.
Despite that, David Edstrom said he’s only played the sport for fun with his parents.
“It went well with hockey, so I guess keep on going,” he said.
Team celebration
Knights director of player development Wil Nichol said the team had a get-together with the Stanley Cup for front-office staff while in Nashville, Tennessee, last week for the NHL draft.
President of hockey operations George McPhee, general manager Kelly McCrimmon, director of player personnel Vaughn Karpan and the club’s pro and amateur scouts were there to celebrate.
“That was really special,” Nichol said. “We have a special group.”
Early-morning hockey
Center Matyas Sapovaliv, a 2022 second-round pick, said he watched every game of the Stanley Cup Final. That took some dedication, given he was home in the Czech Republic and puck drop was 2 a.m. his time.
“I watched it by myself,” Sapovaliv said. “Sometimes when Vegas scored I was yelling so loud that my parents woke up.”
Sapovaliv had 27 goals and 56 points in 61 games last season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit, but his most impressive accomplishment came internationally. He played more than any other skater on Team Czechia during the 2023 World Junior Championship to help his country win silver, its first medal since 2005.
Sapovaliv had seven assists in seven games.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.