Well-traveled Danny O’Regan gets cozy with Silver Knights
There’s a line in Silver Knights forward Danny O’Regan’s bio that sticks out. The one that reads “Birthplace: Berlin, Germany.”
O’Regan is the only German-born player on the roster and one of the few in North American hockey. He is one of 34 who have appeared in an NHL game, a list that includes Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer and Hart Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers.
O’Regan doesn’t remember much about his life in Germany. He moved to the United States when he was 4, after his father, Tom, a former Boston University standout hockey player, stopped playing for the Berlin Capitals.
It was the start of a well-traveled life for the 27-year-old, with his latest stop in Henderson.
“It’s a really great change of pace,” O’Regan said. “I always liked the West Coast. The weather makes things a little easier to be at the rink the whole season.”
O’Regan, after following in his father’s footsteps at Boston U, has worn a lot of jerseys in his professional career. He spent parts of two seasons in the San Jose Sharks’ organization, appearing in the NHL and American Hockey League, before being sent to Buffalo as part of the Evander Kane trade. After his first full season with the Sabres, he spent a year with the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford.
He then landed in Henderson and has found a seamless fit with the Silver Knights. He has two goals and four assists in his first four games centering the team’s second line. He was trusted to play between Peyton Krebs and Lucas Elevenes, two of the Golden Knights’ top forward prospects, in the fourth game.
“Danny’s smart,” coach Manny Viveiros said. “He knows where to be on the ice. He can find those areas. The puck finds him, so to speak.”
O’Regan, who has 190 points in 248 AHL games, downplayed his individual success.
“It’s obviously great to have a start like that,” he said. “I’ve been playing with a lot of different combinations, but we have a lot of great depth, a lot of great players. Everyone’s been contributing.”
Dorofeyev skates
Golden Knights forward prospect Pavel Dorofeyev, 20, completed his quarantine and started skating with the Silver Knights on Friday. The 2019 third-round pick left his home country of Russia after signing an entry-level contract with the NHL club Jan. 25.
“He doesn’t speak a whole lot of English, but he’s a good addition to the team for sure,” defenseman Jimmy Schuldt said. “You can tell even though he’s been in quarantine for two weeks or whatever it’s been, he’s really nifty with the puck and a pretty smooth skater.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.